After a man died in custody last year, shortly after being arrested, a Schenectady police officer will not face criminal charges after being cleared by a grand jury.

Despite this, the case has prompted the Attorney General's office to recommend a number of changes to how law enforcement officers are required to handle medical emergencies.

This all began as a traffic stop on Ward Avenue in May of last year.

Andrew Kearse, 36, fled on foot before eventually being tracked down and arrested. His girlfriend, who was arrested at the same time, said Kearse was unconscious when dragged out of the police car. Kearse could be heard on police video asking for medical attention. He was later pronounced dead at Ellis Hospital.

We later learned that Kearse had a heart condition that ultimately led to his death. Attorney General Barbara Underwood, termed the incident as "tragic," and has issued several recommendations to prevent something like this from happening again.

In part, she wants the state legislature to create a policy requiring officers to treat breathing difficulties as medical emergencies.

According to AG Underwood, breathing difficulties should not be dismissed just because the person can talk. She also advised that Schenectady PD revise its own policies, to ensure arrestees get medical attention — even if their need does not arise from officers' use of force.