George Floyd arresting officer trained to avoid neck, says police official

The officer who restrained George Floyd was taught to restrain suspects by placing a knee on their back and to "stay away from the neck where possible", a police instructor has told the trial.

Lt Johnny Mercil testified at court in Minneapolis at the trial of Derek Chauvin, 45, who is on trial charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death on May 25.

Chauvin said he was following what he was taught in training, but senior officers, including the police chief himself, testified that Floyd should not have been kept pinned to the pavement by his neck for close to nine-and-a-half minutes while lying face-down, his hands cuffed behind his back.

According to testimony and records submitted on Tuesday, Chauvin took a 40-hour course in 2016 on how to recognise people in crisis - including those suffering mental problems or the effects of drug use - and how to use de-escalation techniques to calm them down.

Records show Chauvin also underwent training in the use of force in 2018.

Lt Mercil said those who attended were taught that the sanctity of life is a cornerstone of the department’s use-of-force policy and that officers must use the least amount of force required to get a suspect to comply.

Under cross-examination by Chauvin's lawyer Eric Nelson, Lt Mercil testified that officers are trained to use their knee across a person’s back or shoulder and employ their body weight to maintain control.

But Lt Mercil added: “We tell officers to stay away from the neck when possible.”

Mr Nelson argued that the now-fired white officer “did exactly what he had been trained to do over his 19-year career,” and he has suggested that Mr Floyd’s use of illegal drugs and his underlying health conditions are what killed him, not Chauvin’s knee.

In court, Mr Nelson sought to point out moments in the video footage when he said Chauvin’s knee did not appear to be on Mr Floyd’s neck.

Mr Nelson showed Lt Mercil several images taken from officers’ body-camera videos, asking after each one whether it showed Chauvin’s knee appearing to rest more on Mr Floyd’s back, shoulder or shoulder blades than directly on the 46-year-old's neck. Lt Mercil often agreed.

Mr Floyd was arrested outside a shop after being accused of trying to use a counterfeit $20 note.

Mr Floyd, who had taken drugs, frantically struggled with officers who tried to put him in their squad car, saying he was claustrophobic.

Officers kept restraining Mr Floyd - with Chauvin kneeling on his neck, another kneeling on his back and a third holding his feet - until the ambulance got there, even after he became unresponsive, according to testimony and video footage.

The officers also rebuffed offers of help from an off-duty Minneapolis firefighter who wanted to administer first aid or tell officers how to do it.