Editorial: New Metro policy will save lives

Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2005 | 8:45 a.m.

A few large-city coroners began comparing notes in the early 1990s about a certain type of violent behavior occasionally exhibited by individuals in public. The behavior includes hallucinations, paranoia, injuring oneself, combativeness, bizarre ramblings, shaking, sweating and clothing removal. The coroners diagnosed the behavior as a medical condition and gave it a name --excited delirium, or ED. The condition was and still is disputed. Critics of police departments say ED was invented as a fatal condition to cover up excessive use of force in those cases when a person exhibiting the symptoms died as the result of being subdued by officers. In recent years, however, the condition has been gaining more credibility. In many cases there is a root cause -- the taking of drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.

Metro Police officers have been involved in high-profile cases of ED that have resulted in death. Last year two men exhibiting the symptoms died after struggling with police officers and being struck by darts fired from Taser stun guns. In 2001 a French citizen apparently in the throes of ED died after fighting with Metro Police officers and guards at the Clark County Detention Center. Many other police departments around the country have dealt with the problem, and many times with the same deadly results.

This month Metro Police developed a new policy for responding to calls of people apparently suffering from ED. The policy was developed after Deputy Chief Mike Ault returned from a seminar in Washington, D.C., where the discussions centered on the safety of suspects during apprehensions. Ault led the writing of the new policy, which was approved by Sheriff Bill Young. Now, force will be used only as a last resort, as ED calls will be considered a medical emergency. Officers will be required to contain or gain control of the individual as quickly as possible -- through nonviolent means if possible. The officers are also required to call Metro's crisis intervention team and summon emergency medical personnel.

We believe the new policy is a progressive step for Metro, one that puts the department miles ahead of other police agencies whose officers are still permitted to initially charge ahead on these calls, firing their Tasers and swinging their batons. Most people having a reaction to drugs or experiencing a psychotic episode for another reason are not violent criminals bent on killing or injuring someone. Most are ordinary people who need counseling or medical treatment, not a life-threatening beating. We're glad to see a Metro policy recognizing that fact of life.