There isn’t a lot you can say about handcuffs, or is there?
Police and other law enforcement officers use them and there is use for them in our prisons. What do you really know about handcuffs though? Probably very little.
There is one camp of thought that thinks handcuffs should never be used under any circumstances, and the argument has some fair points. However, the other camp of thought is that they are a necessary piece of equipment for police to use in certain circumstances. I don’t think anyone would argue about the usefulness of handcuffs in certain situations such as when dealing with the transportation of extremely violent prisoners for instance. Many would say that the police should not be using handcuffs as a matter of course.
Whatever school of thought you fall into you will probably have some very hard and fast ideas about why you go one way or the other. The issue of handcuffs whether for or against is an emotive subject and one where there seems to be no gray areas. There is no doubt when dealing with aggression and violence that they are invaluable in protecting officers whether they are in a police or prison environment. In most states, the use of handcuffs is governed and they can only be used in certain circumstances when a person under arrest is a danger to either themselves or others.
Police should only use handcuffs, as a temporary measure of restraint and suspects should not be handcuffed for long periods. There is no doubt that long term use of handcuffs can cause injury either with strains, nerve damage or even broken wrists if someone is resisting the use of the cuffs. It’s worth pointing out that a person being restrained is placed in an extremely vulnerable position, they cannot defend themselves against attack from say a bystander. A person in handcuffs can also suffer injury through a simple trip or fall, as they cannot break their fall as normal.
Any personnel that use handcuffs are trained in their use. Not only is there a proper technique in using them but also they have to maintain them correctly. A poorly maintained set of handcuffs could jam or even spring open. The basic procedure for using handcuffs for a police officer is the suspect must be facing away from the officer. They must have their hands behind their back, never in front, and their thumbs should be facing up. In a very small number of circumstances, officers would choose to cuff someone’s hands in front of them, such as in the case of a pregnant woman, a handicapped person, an obese person or a juvenile.
The pro and against sets of people could argue all day and night and never agree on the use of handcuffs. It is true that certain countries have actually banned the use of handcuffs, but whether that is a route the USA would take is doubtful. Officers are likely to argue that they need the handcuffs to act not only as a deterrent but as a method of restraint should situations become charged and violent. An officer who is attacked has every right to cuff a person to prevent further attack on them or others.
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