Portland Police Taser Aggressive Diabetic Woman

[Jackalope]

Portland Police taser aggressive diabetic woman

08:35 AM PDT on Monday, March 12, 2007
Associated Press and KGW.com Staff Reports

PORTLAND - A diabetic woman and her family called for better training for police after a Portland officer used a stun gun to subdue her during a medical emergency.

Brandi Hess says she's diabetic, "not a criminal."

Nobody said you were. If you were a criminal, you'd be in jail.

The 26-year-old had a diabetic reaction late Saturday.

Hess's roommate called 9-1-1 after Hess said she felt sick. The roommate warned police and paramedics that, because of Hess' condition, she would be unresponsive and scared.

According to the police report, shortly after the officer arrived, the woman punched him without provocation.

I don't hear him whining about how unfair that was.

As the officer, firefighters, and woman began to struggle, the officer was kicked several times in the stomach and groin, according to police, who said a firefighter was also punched at least twice.

Police said the officer then deployed his taser. Immediately after deployment, the woman stopped fighting and was given medical attention.

In other words, the Taser worked exactly as it was supposed to.

Sergeant Brian Schmautz, a spokesman for the Portland Police Bureau, said the stun gun might have been the best option. He said other options, such as using a control hold to keep the patient down, can lead to broken bones.

But the woman's father, Dan Hess, the former police chief in Dundee, said the Portland police could have done better.

Yeah, I'd much rather have broken bones than two tiny needle marks.

"We want the community to know that the department needs some serious training, and they need some skills in dealing with medical calls before they kill someone.

No one has ever died from being Tased. But I think irresponsible diabetics can die if they ignore their blood sugar too long.

Brandi Hess said she doesn't remember what happened between the time she told her roommate that her blood sugar was low and she woke up after getting intravenous medicine. The stun gun was used on her shoulder and the back of her knee.

"My body feels like I was run over by a truck," Hess said.

You should be on your knees thanking the officer and the medics for saving your life.

[TXPO710]

"We want the community to know that the department needs some serious training, and they need some skills in dealing with medical calls before they kill someone.

Here's a unique thought, don't call the POLICE when you want EMS.

[KaiGywer]

She's a diabetic AND a criminal

[Ducky]

I've seen what happens when diabetics wig out because of their blood sugar levels, and it's very similar to someone whose cranked up. Incredible strength and no qualms about doing harm to anyone. They're really not in their right minds, and the only solution is to get them treated ASAP. It sounds like the taser was the best solution available (tranq guns being second) and let's face it, she doesn't remember it. That feeling of being sore all over could just as readily come from her fighting with the officers and medics.

Get a grip chick, and thank the guys who saved your life. Then apologize.

[Piggybank Cop]

“PORTLAND - A diabetic woman and her family called for better training for police after a Portland officer used a stun gun to subdue her during a medical emergency.”

Of course the other option is training for stupid diabetics and their stupid relatives, not to mention the idiot media.

A cops job is to enforce the law not get his ass kicked; you don’t like what happened don’t call the cops.

Bunch of Goddamn whiners; I’ve been Tased with the harpoons and you don’t feel like you have been run over by a truck. That could have been from the convulsions brought on by her own stupidity.

[TheeBadOne]

NS! I am soooo sick of the same-ole-same-ole.

It's no different when dealing with mentally ill. People complain about force used on a violent mentally ill person. Look, I'll try to make it as simple as possible:


JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE MENTALLY ILL DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE NOT DANGEROUS


rant off

[countybear]

Lesson to learn here.

When you call the police for help, you might not get exactly the help you want, but you will certainly get help, and it will be the help you desperately need 99% of the time.

[Willowdared]

Maybe she should have Daddy's phone number on speed dial....then he can come over and get her when she goes into diabetic shock.

[BEB]

No one has ever died from being Tased. But I think irresponsible diabetics can die if they ignore their blood sugar too long.

Only difference between this and taking drugs is one is an active choice and the other is a passive choice. Either way you made the choice.

[Doc_Holliday]

they obviously should have turn around and left the room, then waited till the poor wittle baby was in a diabetic coma, then provided code 3 escort to the nearest morgue.....freakin crybaby

[CT209]

The latest is that the Police Chief says "we flagged the address and will send three officers there on future calls".

That is a good use of a police department's resources.

How about flagging the address and calling her Dad when a call comes in. Let him go wrestle with her. Or if another call comes in and the three officers go they can just jump on her which will create all kinds of chances to cause injury.

I'd rather see them get creative about the whole thing though. How about this:

The next time she goes into diabetic shock and they have to restrain her, they should charge her with reckless endangerment, especially if she injures someone. After all, take a look at her picture- she's big enough to put a hurt on someone. She is knowingly placing responders at risk of injury by improperly monitoring her condition.

I've personally known about five people with the same condition. I know that three of the five have gone into the whole diabetic shock routine. Interestingly enough, when we chatted about it later, all three said they failed to eat right or ate the wrong thing, or failed to do the necessary checks they have to do prior to the incident. All three said they screwed up.

But, it's never going to happen.

[lewisipso]

How about flagging the Dad's address and zapping his ass everytime a call comes in at the daughters address. Dipstick.

[matt86]

I wonder how much the father would be complaining if they had injured her in a physical confrontation... Stupid people