Policy Text
Page 1 of 2 21/01 (REV 10/13)
Prisoner Security - Handcuffing
The purpose of this Order is to p rovide officers of this Depart ment with policies and
procedures for the proper applic ation of handcuffs and plastic restraining straps.
I. Policy Statement
Any subject within the lawful c ustody of an officer should be a dequately searched and
then handcuffed with their hands behind their back. (Exception s to this are when a
subject’s physical limitations r estrict you from doing so or wh en you are cuffing with a
waist-chain device.) Handcuffs should be applied reasonably ti ght on the wrist,
between the hand and the protruding base of the ulnar bone, mat ching the oval shape
of the cuff to the oval shape o f the wrist. Once applied, the cuffs should be double
locked to prevent them from cl osing tighter. Applied in this m anner, the possibility of
inflicting injury to the subjec t or of the subject picking or s lipping the locking mechanism
is reduced, but not inconceivable. Avoid applying handcuffs over bul ky clothing, as this can restr ict the free movement of
the pivoting action of the si ngle bar of the handcuffs. Except in emergency situations,
do not handcuff a female subject to a male subject or a juvenil e to an adult. Likewise,
do not handcuff a subject to a stationary object, leave the sub ject unattended in a
vehicle, or lose visual c ontact with the subject.
Handcuffs are a preventative m easure used to protect officers, citizens, and subjects
alike. They temporarily restrain a subject and restrict them f rom doing some things, but
they do not immobilize a subject. Therefore, officers must mai ntain constant control
over a handcuffed subject to min imize the opportunities for act ion which could produce
injuries or afford an opportuni ty for escape. This control is especially important when
escorting a subject to and from a transporting vehicle or into a facility where weapons or
escape routes are available, par ticularly around other officers carrying exposed
weapons. Once properly applied, handcuffs should not be removed until th e subject is within the
confines of a proper detention facility. Remember the subject is your responsibility!
II. The use of plastic restrai ning straps is recommended for a limited number of
situations, such as: A. When a sufficient number of c onventional cuffs are not read ily available
during mass arrests.
Page 2 of 2 21/01 (REV 10/13) B. When the officer wishes to joi n the ankles of multiple subj ects together.
C. When the subjects wrists ar e large or unaccommodating to co nventional
cuffs. Plastic restraining st raps can successfully be used i n conjunction
with conventional cuffs for ei ther a one-armed subject or one with a cast
on the arm. When in a position of having to utilize plastic restraining
straps, officers should be awar e of their seve ral limitations :
1. For most officers, the proper application of the plastic s traps
r equires the use of two hands. Theref ore, a single officer migh t be
unable to both properly contro l the subject and apply the st raps
h i m s e l f .
2. If the plastic restraining straps are applied too tightly, t hey can cut
off blood circulation. The only wa y to adjust them is by cutti ng them
off.
3. The straps can cause injury, such as serious laceration of the skin,
and can also be broken by a str ongly resisting or violent su bject.
4. Any officer using the plas tic straps must have a cutting t ool readily
a v a i l a b l e i n o r d e r t o r e m o v e t h e s t r a p s . III. An inmate known to be pregn ant or in recovery after delive ry shall not be
restrained by the use of leg irons, waist chains or handcuffs b ehind the body. A
pregnant inmate in labor, during de livery, in recovery after de livery or any
medical emergency shall not be restrained unless deemed necessa r y f o r t h e
safety and security of the inma te, the staff or the public.
Restraints shall be removed at t he request of medical professio nals tasked with
the treatment of the pregnant inm ate during any medical emergen cy. (Per P.C.
3407).
A. Upon confirmation of an inmate’s pregnancy, she shall be advised,
verbally or in writing, of the standards and policies governing pregnant
inmates, including the provisions of Penal Code section 3407 an d the
policies established by this Order.