Dozens of deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police

[Nevilledog]

https://apnews.com/article/investigation-police-use-of-force-sedation-injections-demetrio-jackson-621909ba7491abc2af8ad2e33ba3415b

Demetrio Jackson was desperate for medical help when the paramedics arrived.

The 43-year-old was surrounded by police who arrested him after responding to a trespassing call in a Wisconsin parking lot. Officers had shocked him with a Taser and pinned him as he pleaded that he couldn’t breathe. Now he sat on the ground with hands cuffed behind his back and took in oxygen through a mask.

Then, officers moved Jackson to his side so a medic could inject him with a potent knockout drug.

“It’s just going to calm you down,” an officer assured Jackson. Within minutes, Jackson’s heart stopped. He never regained consciousness and died two weeks later.

Jackson’s 2021 death illustrates an often-hidden way fatal U.S. police encounters end: not with the firing of an officer’s gun but with the silent use of a medical syringe.

The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the nation over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found. Based on thousands of pages of law enforcement and medical records and videos of dozens of incidents, the investigation shows how a strategy intended to reduce violence and save lives has resulted in some avoidable deaths.

*snip*

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. K&R

[elias7]

2. Difficult issue

If you haven’t dealt with highly agitated and violent folks - whether drunk, on multiple drugs, underlying mental illness/psychosis, a paramedic will be brought in to help get the situation under control with sedative medications. Let’s just assume for the most party that cops are good and skilled people, EMTs are good and skilled people, both dealing with a volatile situation that people have in large part brought upon themselves by either doing drugs or failing to address their mental illnesses.

It really sucks when things like this happen, tragic; however, we mustn’t forget the carnage that happens along the way, before police and EMS got involved, or the injuries that occur to law enforcement and medical personnel when they try in good faith to get a situation under control.

Medics must adhere to protocols, cops must keep their knees off people’s necks, but everyone plays a role. Accidental deaths must be investigated. If you’ve been in that situation, it is unfair to second guess with certainty.

[MagickMuffin]

3. But aren't the enforcers just guessing on what to do?

Since no one knows if the arrestee is on prescribed medication or self medicating how will the enforcers know what they inject into their victim at this point.

What are the various drugs going to do to the individual?

How will these drugs interact with each other?

Why is it usually only people of color who get treated this way?


No one should have enforcers deciding what medication they administer.

[MagickMuffin]

4. I wonder if this is what's happening at the Tarrant County jail?

Six deaths so far this year and everything is well secretive.

[Solly Mack]

5. K&R

[oasis]

6. Handcuffs. Take into custody.

Do any medical treatments at appropriate facilities.
Why would this not be the first course of action,?

[electric_blue68]

8. Because some people have incredible strength when agitated. I don't think I agree, though....

Perhaps wen a "disturbed person" Alert goes out tere should be a second police car that goes out.

First the first car's LEO get out and if they alone can't subdue a person the second group gets involved.

I'm well aware that if it's a person of color, a whole set of potential police abuse could happen!
Yikes, so maybe that's not a solid solution either. Sigh...

[electric_blue68]

7. Isn't this what happened to Elijah McClain the Black violinist?!

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

9. kick

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. WTF?