Linn County has had to pay damages over use
By Alicia Ebaugh
The Gazette
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — In his recommendations, Angrick favored restraint chairs over restraint boards, citing documented medical problems that can arise from restraining someone in a prone position. Former Linn County Sheriff Don Zeller invented the restraint board in 1992 and it is still available at the Linn County Jail.
Iowa law allows use of full-body restraint when an inmate is a threat to himself or herself, to others or to jail security. But Angrick said his office’s probe found instances in which restraints were used on inmates who caused minor disruptions or in response to an inmate’s verbal abuse.
The 18-month investigation began in response to complaints beginning in 2006 and focused on five jails in Appanoose, Wapello, Jefferson, Polk and Woodbury counties.
“The ombudsman concludes the use of restraints in these instances violated federal constitutional law, Iowa law and jail policy,” the 176-page report said.
Angrick issued 13 recommendations, including better documentation, record-keeping, monitoring and inmate
screening at county jails using restraint.
In his report, Angrick cited two federal court cases in which restrained Linn County Jail inmates were awarded damages. In the most recent case, Linn County deputies kicked, beat and struck Kevin Ogden, 43, of Cedar Rapids, while he was strapped to the board and suffering a panic attack in 1999. He was kept on the board for five hours and denied medication. Some jail procedures regarding time and monitoring were put into written policy after that case.
When the board is used, an inmate is restrained face down with his or her head turned to one side, and his or her legs and arms spread apart with the arms pointing toward the feet. The inmate is fastened to the board by 10 padded Velcro straps, two each on the arms, legs and across the torso.
In Linn County, jail deputies haven’t used the restraintboard since before the June flood. In the year before that, the board was used fewer than six times, Sheriff Brian Gardner said.
For most inmates, 15 to 30 minutes is all it takes, Gardner said, and the maximum is four consecutive hours. Though Gardner stressed he hadn’t read the entire report, he said it appeared the jail policies closely mirror the recommendations.
At the Johnson County Jail, deputies have access to a restraint chair and a board, which Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek said is rarely used. He said the chair may be used a couple of times a month.
“I think with proper policies and procedures in place, it is a safe tool to use,” Pulkrabek said, adding that he believes authorities there use it appropriately. “It assists in reducing injuries to both the individual and officers.”
Copyright 2009 The Gazette