Applied Force During Prone Restraint: Is Officer Weight a Factor?

Introduction: It has been suggested that law enforcement officer (LEO) weight on the backs of prone subjects may cause asphyxia.

Methods: Law enforcement officers used their agency-trained "local" single- and double-knee techniques, the "Wisconsin" 3-Point Ground Stabilization, and the Human Factor Research Group Inc single-knee tactical handcuffing techniques, and the weight force was measured.

Results: Forty-one LEOs (36 men, 5 women) participated, aged 38.