03/24/09 Bend
In this ‘You Ask, We Answer' Norm says, "On Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 PM 2 or 3 Bend police cruisers had a in handcuffs and had a white bag over his head. This happened on Bond Street across from Troy Field. As I drove by, it appeared that the police were escorting the detained man with a white cloth bag over his head to one of their cruisers. I have been expecting to hear something on the news about this event, but so far not a word. Why would they have placed a bag on his head?"
That's called a spit mask. It's for suspects that try to spit on officers. Bend police say it's not used very often. It protects the officers since they don't know the medical history of the person they're arresting. The incident Norm saw involved a 55 year old man who was drinking outdoors on a public sidewalk which violates city code. Police say he refused to leave and threatened to kill the code enforcement officer. He was arrested on harassment and threat charges.
