Sedative Use in Police Custody Linked to Numerous Fatalities, Investigation Reveals

A comprehensive investigation has uncovered that at least 94 deaths occurred after sedatives were administered to individuals restrained by police, highlighting serious concerns over the practice.

• The Associated Press investigation, in collaboration with PBS Frontline and the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism, found that sedatives were administered in situations where restraint was already applied, often exacerbating the risk of fatal outcomes.
• About half of the 94 fatalities were Black individuals, underscoring racial disparities in the use of sedatives during police encounters.
• Critics argue that the use of sedatives, often without consent, poses significant risks and should be heavily regulated or banned.
• The practice of using sedatives has spread based on discredited theories, such as 'excited delirium,' which have been criticized for lacking scientific validity and potentially shifting blame from police actions.
• Medical personnel involved in administering sedatives during police encounters often face little scrutiny, with the focus typically on police rather than the medical interventions used.

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