In a recent incident in Georgia, five officers from the Hampton city and Henry County police departments subdued 24-year-old Fernando Rodriguez after receiving calls about a nude man walking down a road. The officers used multiple Tasers on Rodriguez, ultimately shocking him at least 16 times during the altercation. Rodriguez was restrained in a prone position with his wrists and ankles shackled for nearly 10 minutes, during which time he stopped breathing, leading to his death three days later. The county coroner ruled his death a homicide caused by asphyxia due to physical restraint in the prone position with compression of the chest, with LSD use listed as another significant condition.
The use of prone restraint in law enforcement has been a topic of controversy and concern for many years. The International Association of Chiefs of Police, the U.S. Justice Department, and the FBI have all warned against certain restraint techniques that can hinder someone’s ability to breathe. Despite these warnings, the lack of standardization in policing and mixed messages from the law enforcement and medical communities have led to contradictory policies on officer training. An investigation by ASU’s Howard Center found 60 other cases similar to Rodriguez’s, where positional asphyxia or prone restraint was cited as causing or contributing to a death.
Some states, such as Washington and California, have attempted to curtail the use of prone restraint in recent police reform laws. However, the training and policies of individual law enforcement agencies vary, with some agencies failing to provide adequate training on the risks of prone restraint. In the case of Rodriguez, the Henry County Police Department did not have training on how to put a suspect in a prone position or on positional asphyxia at the time of his death. The lack of consistent training and enforcement of policies can contribute to tragic incidents like Rodriguez’s death.
The debate over the dangers of prone restraint in the medical community has also added to the confusion surrounding the issue. While some studies have suggested that prone restraint may not have a clinically relevant impact on breathing, recent research has highlighted the risks of prone restraint cardiac arrest. Standardizing training and policies on prone restraint is crucial to ensuring the safety of individuals in police custody. Without proper enforcement of policies, there is a risk of continued incidents of excessive force leading to tragic outcomes.
In the case of Fernando Rodriguez, his family sued the city of Hampton, Henry County, and the five officers involved, ultimately settling the federal lawsuit for $3 million. Despite this settlement, the issue of prone restraint and excessive force in law enforcement remains a pressing concern. The need for consistent training, enforcement of policies, and accountability within police departments is essential to prevent further tragedies and uphold public trust in law enforcement agencies. The debate over prone restraint continues, highlighting the complexities and challenges in addressing use of force issues in policing.
