Law enforcement officers participating in a training exercise focused on crisis intervention.
New York law enforcement agencies continue to train officers on the controversial term ‘excited delirium,’ despite its discreditation by major medical organizations. Documents reveal that several sheriffs’ offices and state agencies still use this term, which is associated with police-related deaths and criticized for misleading narratives about excessive force. The inclusion of excited delirium in training raises alarms about its impact on policing practices, leading to calls for legislative action to ban its use in official documentation and enhance police interactions with individuals in crisis.
New York law enforcement agencies are continuing to include “excited delirium” in their officer training programs, despite the term’s discreditation by major medical associations. Recent documents indicate that six county sheriffs’ offices and two state agencies are still using this controversial concept, which was widely considered to be based on debunked research from the 1980s that has been linked to police-related deaths.
“Excited delirium syndrome” is characterized by aggressive behavior in individuals, potentially leading to severe medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest. This term has faced increasing scrutiny, as organizations like the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association have publicly rejected it as a legitimate medical diagnosis. The inclusion of excited delirium in training materials ties it to several high-profile cases of police violence, such as those of George Floyd and Elijah McClain, leading to heightened criticism of how law enforcement interacts with individuals in crises.
Some states, including California, Colorado, and Minnesota, have responded to the controversies surrounding excited delirium by restricting its use in official documentation. However, New York’s law enforcement agencies continue to promote this disputed concept through training programs. Notably, in 2023, the New York City Police Department instructed recruits on the use of tasers and pepper spray on individuals identified as experiencing excited delirium.
The police reform organization Campaign Zero has uncovered documents showing that several county sheriffs’ offices have integrated excited delirium into their recent training protocols. At least one sheriffs’ office utilized materials from Axon, a company that elevated the concept of excited delirium in law enforcement discourse during the 2000s. Moreover, the New York state Office of Mental Health and the Division of Criminal Justice Services provided training materials pertaining to excited delirium as recently as this year, despite assertions from the Office of Mental Health that it has ceased teaching the term.
Discrepancies exist regarding the understanding of updates to training practices, with some departments unaware of the declining acceptability of the term. Training materials often promote immediate restraint and possible sedation for those exhibiting symptoms associated with excited delirium, showcasing visuals that sensationalize the behaviors and physical characteristics labeled as “superhuman strength.”
Critics argue that the ongoing incorporation of excited delirium into law enforcement training fosters justification for excessive use of force and obscures the true causes of fatalities in police encounters. In response to these concerns, state Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas has proposed a bill to ban the inclusion of excited delirium in official law enforcement documents and training programs, aiming to eliminate its references in death investigations and public reports across New York.
The situation is compounded by inconsistencies among various law enforcement agencies regarding their adherence to existing guidelines on excited delirium, highlighting a lack of coordination and communication in police training practices. Recent high-profile incidents in police custody, like the death of Daniel Prude, have brought renewed attention to the dangers of classifying such behavior as excited delirium, further emphasizing the need for reform.
While the Attorney General’s office initially supported training surrounding excited delirium, it has since distanced itself from advocating for its use as a cause of death in investigations. The mounting controversy underscores a critical need for legislative action aimed at aligning law enforcement practices with contemporary medical knowledge and standards to enhance the safety and efficacy of police interactions with the public.
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