A diabetic woman and her family called for better training for police after a Portland officer used a stun gun to subdue her during a medical emergency.
She should thank her lucky stars she's not an epileptic.
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Monday, March 12, 2007
We're the Only Ones Medical Enough
She should thank her lucky stars she's not an epileptic.
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6 comments:
What is this? The cops think that they can administer electoshock therapy now?
I don't say this too often, but you might want to cut the police some slack.
I had experience with this when my uncle and aunt were visiting, he went into a diabetic reaction. The EMTs came and he was beating the crap out of them for a minute or two before we could subdue him. He put bruises all over my body. He's not even violent, and only about 160 lbs. Yet, it took two EMTs and me several minutes before we could take him down to address this medical problem.
These diabetic reactions are violent, but the person is out of it and medically in a different world when they flare up. It isn't cognizant or calculated violence.
It may have been overkill, but I can see the cops train of thought.
I guess with all the "Only Ones" out there, we tend to forget there are good cops, and sometimes violent takedowns really ARE necessary.
Musta been a hell of a thing to have to go through, Jay.
Yeah, it wasn't too fun... especially for my jaw.
As anyone can tell you, I am not an apologist for the cops. In this case, though, the officer knew she wasn't epilectic, knew what was wrong with her and that time was of the essence.
I am sure he could have subdued her by other means, but I doubt he could have done it with less damage. I am one who hates the eagerness with which cops go to the taser, but in this case it seems this cop used his head and did it as timely as safely for the young woman as he could.
I would give him a pass on this one. It doesn't appear he was doing anything but trying to help.
I bet her father who is an ex-police chief, hasn't ever before criticized the use of tasers, though. Funny how that works.
From an EMT friend:
TRAINING
I have always been taught in every Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) class (Basic, Intermediate and Paramedic) that the potential exists for diabetic patients to get aggressive or violent. We are all taught that a person in a diabetic emergency can appear to be intoxicated (slurred speech, stumbling, incoherent, aggressive, etc). Our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) dictate that all patients with altered levels of consciousness (we are never allowed to say drunk) or smelling of alcohol (fruity breath) must have their glucose levels checked.
EXPERIENCE
I was certified EMT-B in 1991. I was certified EMT-I in 1997. I was licensed as an EMT-P in 2001. My department runs around 8,000 runs a year with a conservative breakdown of 70% EMS and 30% Fire/Other. I have never been attacked nor witnessed an attack. I have had to wrestle patients and pin their arms down in order to access their arms. The majority of extremely hypoglycemic patients just wanted to lay there and be left alone. Some have struggled and made incoherent noises while struggling against our IV attempts. Those patients that were just starting to see their glucose levels drop were irritable and confused. Some of them were very passive and agreeable while some wanted to be left alone. None have ever been violent (attacked) with emergency personnel that I know.
Therefore ....
My official, professional and honest opinion ......I would have had to be there.
Seems like a cop out answer but that is the only thing I could say because ultimately, in emergency medicine, there are always exceptions to the norm. Having said that and based solely on what was reported in the article, I would have tried every and any other way to restrain or subdue the patient without resorting to a stun gun. ESPECIALLY based on the reported fact that the emergency responders were warned by the friend that the emergency was diabetic in etiology. However, the article also reports that the patient was kicking and punching so I can't say for sure that a stun gun wasn't the best or only option at that instant.
Privately, I would be thinking that there has to be a better way than a stun gun.
There's a saying that applies to the police here.... when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
See here
Also see here
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