Who carries handcuffs?

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

M249MachineGun

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Messages
97
Location
Hawaii
I just had an interesting thought on self-defense.

I know that in many places, the act of pulling out a handgun or even exposing a concealed one in a holster constitutes "brandishing" and can land you in legal hot water even if you are justified. Any other deadly weapon you may have that you show a potential attacker (collapsible baton, knife, hammer, stick) could be seen as terroristic threatening by the law.

Also, if you try to claim that you are a cop to scare a threat away may be grounds to arrest you, as impersonating a police officer is frowned upon.

The question is how to deal with someone who you think will attack you but don't deserve to be drawned down on? This could be two bums approaching you in a park as you exit your car or a fellow in a hooded sweatshirt with hands in pockets and giving off a "bad vibe."

One solution could be simple handcuffs. To look a hostile in the eye and ask "do you have a problem, sir/ma'am?" while drawing a pair of cuffs from a pocket (or preferably, a belt holster) could deter any criminal from enacting his plan to harm you. He will see the cuffs and possibly make the logical progression that you are a professional agent (LEO? Bail Enforcer?) and not to be trifled with. You can also feel safe in knowing that no reports will be filed about "a crazy man with a gun" against you.

I suppose that it works on the Towel Effect, first postulated by late author Douglas Adams. If you have a towel, anyone you encounter might believe that you also have a toothbrush, soap, fresh underwear, etc. and are way more prepared than you really are.

Also, cuffs and the training to use them will come in handy if you have a surviving BG in custody.

Thoughts?
 
First off, every state in the union has a law against impersonating a police officer. Its not just "frowned" on, its illegal. Plain and simple.

Two, unless you are wearing a vest, have a radio that is attached to a 911 agency, and have proper training, it is almost suicidal to do as you say and threaten people / scare off people with handcuffs.

I carry zip tie cuffs in my "man purse." But, I am a state police officer. I do not ever plan on cuffing someone while off duty, but it MAY happen in a strange situation.

My recommendation, skip the cuffs. Nothing but trouble, and what if they call your bluff and decide to assault you anyways? In my experience, someone who wants to assault you could care less you have cuffs.

The more I think about it, the more dangerous / silly I think carrying cuffs for defense is.
 
This is definately a very bad idea. I don't carry cuffs off duty. I can't think of a situation where I would ever need to handcuff someone if I wasn't working.

Handcuffing is one of the most dangerous things a police officer does. I've seen more easy arrests of compliant suspects turn into the fight of your life when the steel hits the wrist. Even if you train on one of the speed cuffing methods, you stand a good chance of ending up in a fight.

The sight of handcuffs isn't going to intimidate many people. If you have contact with a police officer and you have a gun and handcuffs on you, you're going to raise some eyebrows at the very least. You're probably going to have to answer a bunh of questions to determine your motives.

Handcuffs and those CCW badges don't belong on the street.

Jeff
 
I'm not a cop. I don't believe in the 'intimidation factor' of weapons or equipment. It's been my experience that more folks will back off just because you are paying attention to what's going on around you than because you happen to be carrying whatever.

The entire concept that the idea of carrying handcuffs is based upon is fallacious. People who have actually decided, in their heart of hearts, to attack you...are going to attack you, Showing them handcuffs, pistols, knives, Tonka Toys, or whatever might convince them to go back to the car trunk and get the rifle but will seldom convince them to become pacifists.
 
Plus 1 to the replies above.

Remember this well: Even though you might not have any intention of impersonating a police officer, the standard of law is based more often than not on what a "reasonable person" would believe.

And a "reasonable" person would assume some involvement with law enforcement as soon as they see the handcuffs. Moreover, you might run into a "two time loser" in a three-strike state who just committed that major felony that will put him away for life without parole.

Guess what he's going to do as soon as he sees those nice shiny handcuffs?

In my jurisdiction, we are required to carry a sidearm, at least one reload, badge, commissioning credentials and one set of handcuffs while off duty. We are expected to be primarily "good witnesses" in almost all instances--but, poop DOES happen.
 
"Look, Bob! He's Got Handcuffs! Run Away!"

Why in the world would someone dick around with handcuffs when they should be working to avoid the miscreants? Nothing works like distance.

In the event the 3-time convicted felons don't wee-wee themselves at the sight of your handcuffs, they can always use them to shackle you before dumping you in the trunk of you car.:uhoh:

And don't even think about cuffing somebody should you manage to get them under control. I spend three full days just teaching approach and application of handcuffs when I get an academy assignment. Then the candidates get to practice cuffing a few hundred times over the next few months. We still lose LEOs every year during handcuffing. It's fun when it goes right. It's not so fun when the guy goes monkeyshit and starts beating everybody with the cuff dangling off one of his wrists.
 
Some good reasons have already been mentioned, and to them let me add few more.
  • Someone willing to lie about what happened could just as easily accuse you of attempted kidnapping, or impersonating an officer. So handcuffs just changes the felony that they're going to try and pin on you.
  • Additionally, the investigating officers will all think your a fool, because although handcuffs can be dangerous, they are nobodys first choice as a defensive weapon. You don't want the guys trying to sort out who to believe to think your a goober, it never helps the situation.
  • Finally, if the subject is really a violent criminal, the sight of handcuffs, without backup, or an appearance of being armed and well prepared, may actually trigger an immediate violent assault, because you run the risk of looking like a poorly trained or unprepared officer. There are people who would veiw what your suggesting as an opportunity.

All told, I believe it would be a bad idea...
 
Suicidal, for all the good reasons given. Approaching someone you've drawn a weapon on and haven't shot will put you into range to temp them to take your weapon. They won't have any reluctance to pop you.
 
100% agreement so far!

Count me in, too. Handcuffs are pulled when you think you've got it under control, not to intimidate. Not sure that would work, anyway. And as for "thinking" someone is going to attack me, I think that about everyone. The one you DON'T suspect will be the one to hurt you. Observation and situational awareness will go farther than any bit of goody you can carry around.
 
Unlawful detainment of someone by handcuffing them could get YOU arrested. Not to mention the civil suit.

And finally, yes, LEOs do tend to take a dim view of anyone "pretending to play cop", and the first thing up in court would be why you were carrying handcuffs if you weren't a law enforcement officer.

If you think you ever might need to restrain someone somewhere for being out of control, just keep some long zipties around, the sort used to bundle wires. They can be crossed over each other and used to bind ankles and wrists to hogtie someone that has gone rather nuts and that other people are holding down, (especially on an enclosed vehicle full of passengers) if you ever find yourself in that situation, but they're not cuffs, they're just something improvised if needed.
 
One solution could be simple handcuffs. To look a hostile in the eye and ask "do you have a problem, sir/ma'am?" while drawing a pair of cuffs from a pocket (or preferably, a belt holster) could deter any criminal from enacting his plan to harm you. He will see the cuffs and possibly make the logical progression that you are a professional agent (LEO? Bail Enforcer?) and not to be trifled with. You can also feel safe in knowing that no reports will be filed about "a crazy man with a gun" against you.
Click to expand...

I think the reaction would be one of bemusement. And the report would be "crazy man with a pair of handcuffs".

How about this strategy: Keep some distance between you and the person that you are worried about. And if necessary use those words and actions you described- (just without the cuffs) look him in the eye and ask "do you have a problem, sir/ma'am?"
 
As a retired LEO I can say, the red flags will be flying high if you get caught with handcuffs. Plain and simply answer, DON'T DO IT! Besides, think of the possible civil and/or criminal lawsuit doors you would open.
 
I've seen more easy arrests of compliant suspects turn into the fight of your life when the steel hits the wrist.
Click to expand...

I agree. For many people, getting put into restraints that will affect your ability to defend yourself triggers the 'fight or flight' response. That feeling of cold steel on skin is the moment of truth for a lot of folks, and what they say and what they do begin to diverge.

I work for a Sheriffs office in South Georgia so, I have to handcuff people more frequently than about any other division of my department. Evan after two years of daily handcuffing, on top of training and practicing on my own time, getting handcuffs on a resisting subject by yourself is still a very difficult thing to do.

I would not carry handcuffs in a personal defense capability. I also think that were you to actually handcuff someone, you might get into unlawfull arrest troubles.

If you want something further down the force continuum, carry OC spray. It is more commonly seen being carried by citizens that are not cops, and will give you the same threat-nullification ability. Obviously, check your local and state laws before toting.

-Teuf
 
One use for cuffs: cut the chain, put one one each wrist, and when a BG tries to intimidate you, show him the cuffs and ask if he's seen any marked units in the area. Act a little crazy and keep looking over your shoulder. The BG should run away. :neener:
 
The entire concept of intimidation is flawed. Intimidation tactics assume that your opponent is rational. However, attacking without serious provocation is fundamentally irrational. Therefore, one is assuming rational behavior from an obviously irrational individual. It's bottom dealing from a stacked deck.

I know a man who attacked with a knife a man who was holding a shotgun. Knife wielder wound up shot through the solar plexus with a 20 gauge slug. He should have been intimidated into running away, right?

The moment that your strategy and tactics begin to assume rational behavior from irrational people is the moment that you have strayed into la-la land.

Even if carrying handcuffs was not edging into impersonating a law enforcement officer or incurring civil or criminal liability; it would still be stupid for it assumes rational responses from a largely irrational subset of people.

The 'intimidation factor' seems to come up from time to time in discussions about knives. I paraphrased a response swiped from the movie "The Hulk" for a response,"Please don't intimidate me. You wouldn't like me when I'm intimidated."

Say someone erroneously assumed I was about to attack them and whipped out their handcuffs. As soon as I realized that they were not law enforcement, I would assume they were of the Ted Bundy persuasion and meant to handcuff me to cart me off for their version of fun and games. To prevent this imminent danger, since I can't run away (due to physical disabilities)...I'd probably be forced to shoot them.
 
I saw a post on this forum about house entry by a bg. A comment was made that after you pointed you Reminton 870 on him, and got him to lay on his stomache on the floor, to then kneel on his back or neck and hancuff him whhile your wife called 911.

I thought at the time that was pretty stupid, because when I watch "Cops" on T.V. it seems like it's one of the hardest things for an officer to do. Besides, I feel better at 5 to 10 feet away with a loaded weapon that trying to put handcuffs on a guy that will surley be bigger than me.

What do you pro's think about restraining a BG, or B&E suspect in your home?

Sorry, I don't mean to hijack this thread, but looking to confirm hancuffs are not for amatuers
 
Depicts: If you've got someone on the floor in your house, leave them there.

Prone handcuffing means two things: The s**t has hit the fan and weapons are pointed at someone precived as a potential lethal threat. Knowing that do you really want to try and do learn a new high risk risk on the fly? It doesn't look that hard, but doing it right is actually rather difficult, ESPECIALLY if they want to resist.

My advice, keep them covered, and keep your head on a swivel till help arrives.

-Jenrick
 
As previously mentioned, I've seen a lot of compliant subjects turn combative as soon as the cuffs come out. As any LEO will tell you, the closer you get the more dangerous it becomes. If you are not trained, and continually train, in cuffing techniques then you're going to get in over your head really quick.
 
Handcuffs and those CCW badges don't belong on the street.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Handcuffs yes I agree its a bad idea for an untrained person to attempt to handcuff someone, not even mentioning the fact of using them as a deterant is even worse.

But CCW badges don't belong on the street???
 
Of course

The LEO's say that it's too complicated for non-LEO's to handle....
The rest bash as "Oh, you are a cop wanna be"

Ok, say you use your gun to stop a fellow from_________
If you toss him the cuffs and say wrist to ankle buddy and then back off twenty feet, you don't have to worry about a rush at you that becomes a life or death struggle etc.
If you can carry a gun, why not something else that makes sense?
I don't carry them but if a free man or woman wishes to carry them, a flashlight or a tin of sardines who are you to tell them no?
CT
 
I carry handcuffs but it's also only on duty. I work security in an ER, grave shift, it can get pretty crazy and the cuffs only go on after the suspect has been disarmed and immobilized. I'm starting the last part of my powers to arrest traning soon. I havn't had to cuff anyone yet, I've seen it done by another officer.

FYI anyone can make a citizens arrest if you witnessed a crime and want to do something about it. However, it's pretty stupid to make a habit of challenging criminals.

-Dev
 
"The LEO's say that it's too complicated for non-LEO's to handle...."

Not too complicated.
When you close in with your adversary is when it gets very dangerous. If you haven't trained how to apply cuffs quickly and correctly all you've done is give the subject a weapon who can hurt you quickly before you can respond and placed yourself within immediate reach. It's not like TV or the movies.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

I
  • Locked
Hidden handcuff key in Glock?
Replies
42
Views
3K
Handguns: General Discussion
Kiln
K
kayak-man
  • Locked
Carrying restraints?
Replies
1
Views
231
Strategies, Tactics, and Training
Sam1911
S
O
  • Locked
Weapons to Intimidate: One of the Best Ways to Lose a Fight
Replies
49
Views
3K
Strategies, Tactics, and Training
buck00
B
C
  • Locked
Pocket Carry Challenge
Replies
75
Views
4K
Strategies, Tactics, and Training
rrruuunnn
R
M
  • Locked
Daily Carry ?
Replies
63
Views
4K
Handguns: General Discussion
WEPS
W
Top Bottom
Back