Department members shall not use any restraint method that involves a substantial risk of compressing a subject’s airway and reducing the ability to sustain adequate breathing. When Department members use pressure or body weight in an attempt to control a subject who is resisting, they may not use that pressure or body weight in a manner that has a substantial risk of interfering with the subject's breathing. Department members will immediately cease applying body weight or pressure to a subject's back, head, neck, chest, or torso once the subject is restrained and other control tactics are reasonably available other than the use of pressure or body weight.
To help reduce the risk of positional asphyxia, after Department members have handcuffed or otherwise restrained a subject using an approved method, as soon as it is reasonably safe and feasible, Department members shall turn the subject onto their side, allow the subject to sit up, or position the subject in a manner to allow unobstructed breathing. Department members will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the subject is not left face down in a prone position for longer than that which reasonably appears necessary to gain control. Department members will make all reasonable efforts to prevent the restrained subject from being left unattended.