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

Area of Science:

• Forensic science
• Biomechanics
• Law enforcement safety

Background:

• Concerns exist regarding law enforcement officer (LEO) weight on prone subjects potentially causing asphyxia.
• This study investigates the forces exerted during prone restraint techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the weight force applied by law enforcement officers using various prone restraint techniques.
• To compare the forces exerted by single-knee versus double-knee techniques.
• To evaluate the influence of officer body weight on applied force.

Main Methods:

• Forty-one law enforcement officers participated, employing agency-trained single- and double-knee techniques, including the "Wisconsin" 3-Point Ground Stabilization.
• Weight force was measured during the application of these techniques.

Main Results:

• The double-knee technique transmitted significantly more weight than single-knee techniques (P < 0.0001).
• The Wisconsin single-knee technique exerted lower force than other single-knee methods (P < 0.0001).
• Applied force for double-knee was 23.3 kg + 24% of officer weight; single-knee techniques ranged from 30.9 to 32.9 kg, with Wisconsin being lowest.

Conclusions:

• Double-knee restraint techniques apply greater force than single-knee methods.
• The Wisconsin single-knee technique is associated with the least force among single-knee options.
• Officer body weight has minimal impact on single-knee force application but a modest influence on double-knee force; findings do not support restraint asphyxia.