Electric Restraint Devices Used in Schools, Prompting District Action

Why it matters locally: While no immediate reports indicate the use of electric restraint devices in New Mexico schools, the national news about their deployment elsewhere highlights a policy area that could be of interest to local school districts and law enforcement agencies across the state, including the City of Albuquerque Police Department, Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority (MVRDA), and Santa Fe Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC) / Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch.

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Police in one community had utilized electric restraint gloves in schools, a practice that came to light after news emerged of a federal agency's planned procurement of similar devices. Parents in the community learned about the school-based use of the gloves. Subsequently, the police department discontinued their deployment. This decision followed public concerns and a request from the district superintendent. NBC News correspondent Julia Ainsley reported on these events.