Vascular Neck Restraints: An Evaluation of the Tactical Use for Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics Programs

Law enforcement agencies are under constant scrutiny and criticism. This is especially true when it comes to neck restraints. Due to news media, social media sites, and social justice groups, neck restraints have been demonized and deemed unjust for law enforcement to use except in a deadly force incident. This is simply untrue. Vascular neck restraints are often confused with chokeholds that cut off a person’s airway and can cause damage to the throat or even death (Peters & Katsaris, 2013). Vascular neck restraints restrict blood-flow to the brain, which causes the subject to be rendered unconscious before sustaining any injury (Lindell, 2010). Additionally, the majority of subjects placed in a vascular neck restraint will just give up before unconsciousness ensues (Haynes, 2009). The vascular neck restraint is a tactic that when trained and deployed correctly, can safely subdue a violent subject that is resisting law enforcement. Although this is a perishable tactic that needs to be trained annually, the benefits of a properly trained officer far outweigh the cost of training. Furthermore, this technique can reduce injury and save the lives of officers and offenders alike (Marcou, 2015). The lateral vascular neck restraint is a form of restraint that has several levels of force that can be increased as resistance increases (Lindell, 2010). Additionally, the lateral vascular neck restraint has been utilized for over 40 years with an impeccable record (Lindell, 2010). Vascular neck restraints are tactics that should be trained annually and implemented as a tactic that can be used fluidly along the use of force continuum.