Nevada Revised Statutes 193.305 – Prohibited acts relating to choke holds and compressing the airway or restricting the breath of a person; requirement to ensure medical aid rendered to certain persons
1. In carrying out his or her duties, a peace officer shall not use a choke hold on another person.
Terms Used In Nevada Revised Statutes 193.305
- person: means a natural person, any form of business or social organization and any other nongovernmental legal entity including, but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, association, trust or unincorporated organization. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.039
- physician: means a person who engages in the practice of medicine, including osteopathy and homeopathy. See Nevada Revised Statutes 0.040
2. A peace officer shall not place a person who is in the custody of the peace officer in any position which compresses his or her airway or restricts his or her ability to breathe. A peace officer shall monitor any person who is in the custody of the peace officer for any signs of distress and shall take any actions necessary to place such a person in a recovery position if he or she appears to be in distress or indicates that he or she cannot breathe.
3. If a person who is in the custody of a peace officer indicates that he or she cannot breathe, the peace officer shall ensure that medical aid is rendered to the person by an emergency medical attendant, physician, physician assistant or registered nurse as soon as practicable.
4. If a peace officer, in carrying out his or her duties, uses physical force on another person, the peace officer shall ensure that medical aid is rendered to any person who is injured by the use of such physical force as soon as practicable.
5. As used in this section:
(a) ’Choke hold’ means:
(1) A method by which a person applies sufficient pressure to another person to make breathing difficult or impossible, including, without limitation, any pressure to the neck, throat or windpipe that may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air; or
(2) Applying pressure to a person’s neck on either side of the windpipe, but not the windpipe itself, to stop the flow of blood to the brain via the carotid arteries.
(b) ’Emergency medical attendant’ means a person licensed as an attendant or certified as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician or paramedic pursuant to chapter 450B of NRS.