Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : Should LAPD Continue Use of Hogtying?

Since the death of Pasadena barber Michael James Bryant in March, 1993, while he was hogtied, or hobbled, by police officers, questions have arisen over the safety and humaneness of this method of restraining suspects. Used mostly with violent or drug-influenced suspects, hogtying involves handcuffing a suspect, then connecting the suspect’s ankles to the handcuffs with a cord or strap. Suspects who have died while hogtied suffocated because they were restrained stomach-down. Most police departments have outlawed the practice. The Los Angeles Police Department still permits it, but officers have been instructed to place suspects on their side and monitor their breathing.

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Should LAPD officers be allowed to continue hogtying suspects?

Rick Law, lieutenant with the Pasadena Police Department:

“With some suspects, it’s almost a necessity. The Pasadena Police Department still hobbles suspects, but we no longer handcuff them and tie their feet and connect the feet with the hands. . . . If we elect to hobble them, their feet are tied and the excess hobble is closed in the door to keep them upright with their feet remaining on the floor. . . . I don’t see any possible way, even if they elect to lie down on the seat, that they could actually end up face down on their stomach.”

Michael Zinzun, chairman of the Coalition Against Police Abuse:

“I think that history has shown that the us- against-them attitude exhibited by the members of the LAPD is a clear indication that we need to maintain the moratorium on the chokehold and that the new regulations regarding the hogtie should be brought to the community for its input. . . . The new policies for the hogtie should not be implemented until the community is able to weigh the positives and the negatives while we maintain a moratorium on the old holds.”

Allan Parachini, public affairs director of Southern California ACLU:

“We have long been extremely concerned about the potential lethal danger of the hogtie. The technique has been repeatedly linked most recently among suspects who are also pepper-sprayed. We believe that the LAPD should restrict the use to circumstances where the lives of officers, victims or bystanders need to be protected. . . . We don’t argue that there aren’t violently combative suspects. The issue here is that the technique has tended to be abused and clearly has lethal results.”

Carol Watson, attorney who represented the parents of Tracy Mayberry, a 33-year-old Hollywood man who died while hogtied by LAPD officers in November, 1990:

“Hogtying is inhumane. Most other police departments nationwide do not find this barbaric method of restraining necessary. The idea that they can cart around a suspect like a suitcase is unwarranted. There are viable, non-life-threatening alternatives that should be used. . . . After my case, the LAPD changed its policy, advising officers to place the suspects on their sides and monitor their breathing. But they did not communicate this change or did not communicate the reason for the change because they wound up killing Michael Bryant.”

Scott Carrier, spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office:

“When you compromise a person’s breathing, sometimes it leads to death. When people are under the influence of methamphetamines or cocaine, or experiencing delirium tremens, it affects the heart. . . . It’s called, ‘Obey the law,’ and we won’t have any of these deaths. People shouldn’t be using illicit drugs.”