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Families and clinicians press Legislature to guarantee emergency medical care in police custody
Summary
Dozens of impacted family members, clinicians and advocates urged passage of the Medical Civil Rights Act (H.1743/S.1230) to require prompt emergency medical response when people in law enforcement encounters show signs of medical crisis; supporters cited national data and Connecticut's recent experience reducing custodial deaths.
Family members of people who died or suffered severe harms while in contact with police urged the Joint Committee on the Judiciary to pass the Medical Civil Rights Act (H.1743/S.1230) and a companion study bill, which would require officers to summon emergency medical assistance when someone in custody or contact requests aid or clearly needs it.
“My son completed suicide by hanging in the Berkshire County House of Correction,” said Barbara Gallo in testimony for a different custody-related bill; she and other witnesses connected the need for clearer medical protocols and data reporting with preventable deaths in custody. Families recounted cases in which medical needs…
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