Hold that Sheriff Fortney described is dangerous

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 1, 2020

In a recent Herald interview with Sheriff Adam Fortney he said that the Snohomish County Sheriff’s department still authorizes the use of the lateral vascular neck restraint.

This technique is used to render a subject unconscious by cutting off blood flow to the brain through the carotid arteries and vascular return to the heart. If someone has a heart condition, is weakened by poor health, or is intoxicated, cutting off blood supply to the brain could result in heart failure and death.

I urge Sheriff Fortney to ban this dangerous technique immediately. Though he said that it is used “very rarely,” as a former health care professional and registered respiratory therapist, I would say banning it would be the safe and humane thing to do.

Howard Lazzarini

Everett