Of the 25 largest police agencies in the country, 12 departments prohibit the carotid restraint or reserve it for situations in which lethal force is justified, and two others allow officers to use the restraint to protect themselves or others from serious bodily injury or death.
Five agencies, including San Diego, allow its use with fewer restrictions, while the remaining six didn’t clearly state their policy.
There are several reasons departments may not use the restraint, but medical risks are among the most commonly cited.
Dr. William Smock, who has evaluated victims of strangulation for decades as a police surgeon for the Louisville Metro Police Department, said even well-executed carotid restraints could result in death.
The hold can cause a tear inside the carotid artery, which may result in a blood clot that later detaches and triggers a stroke, he said. Dislodged pieces of plaque already present in the carotid artery could have the same effect.
If the tear in the artery is large enough, a blood clot can completely block the carotid artery cutting off blood flow to the brain. Smock said brain damage is also a possibility.
“I’ve seen case after case after case of people who have no marks on their neck who were put in a carotid restraint and suffered a (tear in their carotid artery) — that’s a ticking time bomb in their neck,” Smock said.
The maneuver isn’t just dangerous to suspects, Smock said. At the request of a prosecutor’s office in Indiana, Smock traveled to Fort Wayne in January to evaluate two officers who were reportedly injured during carotid restraint training earlier that month. He said both suffered embolic strokes when plaque inside the carotid artery broke off and traveled to the brain.
The Fort Wayne Police Department did not confirm the officers were injured in training, but did temporarily stop using the restraint while an investigation was conducted.
San Diego police leaders defend use of controversial neck restraint, despite continuing calls for a ban
