{
  "id": 8072596,
  "title": "Montreal police issues new directive to officers about use of hog-tie restraint",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/montreal-police-issues-new-directive-to-officers-about-use-of-hog-tie",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T18:23:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/uncategorized/2026/09/17/montreal-police-issues-new-directive-to-officers-about-use-of-hog-tie-restraint"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Montreal police have instructed their officers to cease using the controversial \"hog-tie\" restraint technique following a man's death last year. This directive comes in the wake of a tragic incident that occurred in 2025, which has raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the practice.\n\nThe Montreal police made the decision to halt the use of the restraint technique after a Quebec coroner's report was released, implicating the method in the death of 29-year-old Abisay Cruz. Deputy police chief Marc Charbonneau announced that the internal notice was sent to officers following the release of the coroner's report on August 12, 2025.\n\nIn her comprehensive report, coroner Géhane Kamel determined that Cruz's death was likely caused by a combination of cocaine intoxication and probable positional asphyxia during a police intervention in March 2025. The coroner concluded that it was \"highly likely\" the positioning contributed to the fatal outcome.\n\nCharbonneau emphasized that the hog-tie restraint, which involves binding a person's hands and feet behind their back, is not officially taught by either Montreal police or Quebec's provincial police academy. He further stated that the restraint technique is not part of the official training curriculum for police officers in the province.\n\nMontreal police authorities have pledged their support to the coroner's recommendations and affirmed their commitment to reviewing and implementing the report's findings.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Montreal police cease using hog-tie restraint technique.",
    "Quebec coroner's report implicates method in 29-year-old Abisay Cruz's death.",
    "Directive issued on August 12, 2025, following coroner's findings."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/8072596.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Global News",
        "title": "Police find one-year-old in Montreal homeless encampment",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/police-find-one-year-old-in-montreal-homeless-encampment",
        "published": "2026-09-17T17:08:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}