WI - Matthew Sheridan, 20, dies after Mequon cop puts high-tech hood on him,

[Casshew]

A man died in Mequon police custody Saturday after an officer placed a high-tech protective hood over the man's head to shield the officer from saliva, the lead investigator on the case said Tuesday

The officer believed that the device was a "spit bag," said Lt. Dean Roberts of the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Department. A "spit bag" is a restraint used to contain bodily fluids.
"The hood turned out not to be a spit bag. It actually was called a SURVIVAIR Quick2000 escape hood respirator," Roberts said.

Whether the hood, which protects against chemical and biological agents, caused or contributed to 20-year-old Matthew Sheridan's death was not known Tuesday
The federal government has purchased thousands of the SURVIVAIR Quick2000 masks, which cover the head and neck, since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Richard Sustello, vice president of strategic marketing for Bacou-Dalloz, the parent company of SURVIVAIR, said Tuesday that someone "obviously misused" the escape hood.

The device is "clearly marked" for use to escape from hazardous chemical or biological environments, Sustello said. "I really don't understand how it could be confused with a spit bag."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/ozwash/jun04/238628.asp

 

[deputylinda]

this sounds like a tragically stupid mistake by officer. we use spit MASKS, not bags...they are paper and netted, so spitting prisoner can breathe but not spit on officer. they are pretty universal in use by police...i don't see how an officer could not see the difference...this is a function of proper training.