Handcuffing 101

[Chucky Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chucky]

Been a long time or no time at all this may help understand why something as simple as cuffing a person can cause complications. I must disagree with the statement the instructor said that cuffing in front or back makes no difference. IMO the front can lead to use of the cuffs as a weapon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky2eQORcw0w

[Mall Director Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mall Director]

I agree with you, it certainly does make a difference (front or rear). My volume wasnt working when I watched this, but by your statement in response to the front and rear, whats the point of restraints if the subject maintains mobility and frontal use of their extremities?

[N. A. Corbier Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close N. A. Corbier]

Been a long time or no time at all this may help understand why something as simple as cuffing a person can cause complications. I must disagree with the statement the instructor said that cuffing in front or back makes no difference. IMO the front can lead to use of the cuffs as a weapon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky2eQORcw0w

Three words:

James. Earl. Carr.

Three names:

http://odmp.org/officer.php?oid=15088 - Det. Ricky Joe Childers, Tampa Police Department

http://odmp.org/officer.php?oid=15089 - Det. Randy Scott Bell, Tampa Police Department

http://odmp.org/officer.php?oid=15087 - Tpr. James Bradford-Jean Crooks, Florida Highway Patrol

[Bill Warnock Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bill Warnock]

That instructor has an elevator malfunction; his elevator does not go to the top floor.
If you don't handcuff in the rear and through a belt loop if possible, why not just place them in the front seat and have them shift gears as you drive off. A deputy sheriff where I use to live had to have his nose reconstructed after being hit with cuffs.
Nathan after visiting your three references there should be no doubt in anyone's mind as to the seriousness of those actions.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[SgtUSMC8541 Member Find all posts View Profile Close SgtUSMC8541]

That instructor has an elevator malfunction; his elevator does not go to the top floor.
If you don't handcuff in the rear and through a belt loop if possible, why not just place them in the front seat and have them shift gears as you drive off. A deputy sheriff where I use to live had to have his nose reconstructed after being hit with cuffs.
Nathan after visiting your three references there should be no doubt in anyone's mind as to the seriousness of those actions.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

I'm a P.A.T.H. Instructor and that is inaine. Cuff behind and if you use link cuffs you can position the hands/arms so that it is almost imposable for the perp to get free even if he has a key in his hands.

Edit to add..... the vido instructor is the idiot not you Bill.

[Mall Director Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mall Director]

Hey, I just had an incident today that made me think of adding a little something to this plate involving PATH and other defensive tactical restraint usage..

A subject today had agreesed and attempted to assault one of my senior officers. Immediately after the actions the subject had taken, he was placed in restraints once proper use of force had been deployed. Needless to say, I was called to the scene for assistance. I walked the subject back to our control center, while the initial arresting SO was bringing the subjects bicycle.

Once we were in our center, the subject had a large and heavy backpack on his persons which was strapped across his back and chest. Of course needing to secure the subject and maintain safety, the backpack needed to be removed.

When you have to take such items off of subjects, and the straps wont release completely, in such a way that require the subject to have atleast one free hand to released said strap, its best to have the use of two sets of restraints. While the one is already deployed, bringing the pack down to the wrist level, the second set can be deployed above the wrist and strap. Once secured, the primary restraint can be removed, thus releasing the strap from the subject.

I find this to be a neat and useful tactic as you never allow your subject a release from the device while handling him/her.

Just a neat thought!

[LPGuy Member Find all posts View Profile Close LPGuy]

I find this to be a neat and useful tactic as you never allow your subject a release from the device while handling him/her.

I like it. Thanks!

[Andy Taylor Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy Taylor]

My boss was involved in an incident where a shoplifter was cuffed in the rear. As she was being cuffed she said she had a bad shoulder and it hurt to be cuffed that way. She asked to be cuffed in the front. They left the cuffs on to the rear. She pled guilty to the shoplift and then sued for being cuffed in the rear. She won the case, and was awarded $2 million.

Not that I think this is right, but always remember there are always people and courts that will come after you, even if you go by the book.

[Curtis Baillie Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Curtis Baillie]

I'm aware of an incident where an LE officer handcuffed a female prisoner in the front and placed her in the back of the cruiser. He also failed to search her. When he got into the car, and while driving to the PD she ran a knife through the rear of the drivers seat into his back. He survived the attack.

I would like to see some details (Court case) of the woman who successfully sued because she was handcuff with her hands in the rear.

[Andy Taylor Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy Taylor]

I will talk with my boss on Monday to see if I can get the details.

[N. A. Corbier Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close N. A. Corbier]

That would be like a person suing the security company because they said, "I'm allergic to OC. I'm gonna kick your ass, and you can't spray me, cause I'll die."

You spray them anyway and start an ambulance. Alternately, you go to baton and really hurt them.

[SgtUSMC8541 Member Find all posts View Profile Close SgtUSMC8541]

My boss was involved in an incident where a shoplifter was cuffed in the rear. As she was being cuffed she said she had a bad shoulder and it hurt to be cuffed that way. She asked to be cuffed in the front. They left the cuffs on to the rear. She pled guilty to the shoplift and then sued for being cuffed in the rear. She won the case, and was awarded $2 million.

Not that I think this is right, but always remember there are always people and courts that will come after you, even if you go by the book.

Get a second set of cuffs so you can give her more room yet still keep her hands behind her back. You can also do this with "larger" perps who cant move their shoulders back.