Ventura County Sheriff’s Office discontinues carotid hold practice
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. - The Ventura County Sheriff's Office announced their decision to no longer authorize the use of carotid holds by deputies.
This decision follows the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) decision to no longer certify the carotid hold as part of the training California peace officers receive.
The carotid hold involves an officer using the inside of their elbow to apply pressure to both sides of a person's neck. When done correctly, the hold cuts off blood supply from the carotid arteries to the brain and can render a person unconscious. These holds are only supposed to last a few seconds, allowing time for the deputy to restrain and handcuff the person.
To clarify, the VC Sheriff's Office said their use of force policy did not allow choke-holds or strangle-holds, which cut off the person's ability to breathe. However, carotid holds were permitted when a deputy came in contact with a violent or combative person in order to subdue them.
The decision to stop use of the carotid hold will change training for recruits during basic academy as well as the ongoing training deputies receive throughout their career.
In 2019, Ventura County Sheriff's deputies reportedly had 202,394 documented contacts with the public. Of all of those contacts, only 652 involved the use of some level of force. Of those 652 incidents involving the use of force, the carotid hold was used only twice. Neither of those encounters resulted in serious injury or death.
The carotid hold has been used once in 2020, and that encounter did not result in serious injury. In each case where the carotid hold was used, deputies said the person received a medical evaluation as required by policy.
This decision by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office comes about one week after Governor Newsom ordered an immediate end to training for police on carotid holds.
The Santa Barbara Police Department banned carotid holds a few days later on June 8. This comes in response to many critics and protesters who say the hold is dangerous and potentially deadly.
