Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, June 09, 2020
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 20-091 IN SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL 1196 SEEKING TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF CAROTID ARTERY RESTRAINTS STATEWIDE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
Assembly Bill 1196 seeks to eliminate the use of carotid artery restraints statewide by law enforcement.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
APPROVE Resolution No. 20-091, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL, OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA IN SUPPORT OF ASSEMBLY BILL 1196 SEEKING TO ELIMINATE THE USE OF CAROTID ARTERY RESTRAINTS STATEWIDE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
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III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE any other action the Council deems appropriate
IV. BACKGROUND
Known to many as a "sleeper hold," the carotid restraint hold describes the technique of grabbing a person around the neck from behind and using the bicep and forearm to squeeze down on the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck. Pinching off the blood flow to the brain can result in a loss of consciousness within seconds.
Police agencies in some jurisdiction have continued to defend using the carotid restraint hold for decades, claiming that it is safer and more effective than using a police baton, taser, or pepper spray. Other jurisdictions have banned its use entirely while still other jurisdictions have ruled that it may only be used in extreme situations where deadly force is justified. Unfortunately, because law enforcement in some departments are still allowed to resort to this method of controlling unruly suspect and detainees, people continue to suffer grave injury and death from use of the carotid restraint hold.
There have been numerous incidents in recent years, most recently the murder of George Floyd, where subjects have died from being choked during an arrest. In practice, use of any restraint that relies on placing an arm around the neck of a panicked subject, especially one who is struggling to breathe, when pressing down can quickly turn deadly. There is a narrow margin of error even when correctly applying the carotid restraint to avoid serious injury and death. When a subject is panicked and thrashing around, one twist of the body can change a carotid restraint into a deadly chokehold. In the majority of deadly incidents, the officer involved claimed to have used a carotid restraint hold, not a chokehold to subdue the subject.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
N/A
VI. EXHIBITS
1. AB 1196 - Carotid Artery Restraints (Pg. 3)
2. Resolution No. 20-091 (Pg. 4 - 5)
Prepared by: David Roberts, Assistant City Manager