The reason is positional asphyxia.
As law enforcement officers, part of your job is to subdue and restrain violent people in order to protect yourself, others, and even the subject being restrained. Unfortunately, the techniques you use to control and restrain the subject may interfere with that individual’s ability to breathe. This can result in an in-custody death from a phenomenon called positional asphyxia.Despite the name, positional asphyxia is not just about the position of the subject’s body. There are precipitating factors that make positional asphyxia deadly. These factors include intoxication due to alcohol, drug use, obesity, psychiatric illnesses, and physical injury. Positional asphyxia may even be caused simply by the subject getting into a breathing-restricted position they cannot get out of, either through their own carelessness or as a consequence of an accident or illness. Some people have suffered seizures that trapped them in positions where their breathing was restricted and death has resulted.
Positional asphyxia is a potential danger of some common physical restraint techniques. That’s why it is necessary for law enforcement officers to know and understand that preexisting risk factors combined with the body position of the subject when subdued or while in transport can increase the risk of in-custody death.
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There have been enough cases of this happening (GEORGE FLOYD) that any black person with ANY ONE of these accompanying conditions who has been paying attention knows better than to let themselves be handcuffed unless they have a death wish.
I have congestive heart failure. My heart is swollen and does not pump blood and oxygen properly. I can't even sleep lying down flat, but only in a reclyner. If I was placed on my stomach with my hands cuffed behind my back I would die. Even without the handcuffs I would die if forced to lay on my stomach/chest for any length of time. Dying by suffocation is a slow, agonizing process.
While I would not have done what this scared-out-of-her-wits criminal did, I would rather be shot than die of asphyxiation with my hands cuffed behind my back. Obviously, so would she.
The police are WAY WAY WAY past due in finding another method of restraint.
I honestly did not quite catch why he wanted to cuff her. Not defending her shooting the officer and he was justified in defending himself. But she was being cooperative until he went to put cuffs on. So why were those needed?
Just so you know, most PDs are teaching sitting a detainee up following them being handcuffed to avoid positional asphyxia. Can’t speak to Minneapolis’ policies, but you’re correct about positional asphyxia being a thing. Handcuffing in the front is also an option in addition to sitting them up. They are also to be constantly monitored.