Hinged vs chain handcuffs

[Coyotesfan97]

Also for consideration is whether a given agency's policy has not changed on barring certain kinds of cuffs, but forbids you by policy from using intermediate force adjuncts that are not issued or specifically authorized by your agency. Although we don't prohibit hinged cuffs, some of our policy changed recently in the last two years just because people were going out and buying those miniature ASP Agent series of batons which the agency doesn't want us using since they're worthless. However, the way it's written would mean that I'm in violation of the policy if I used hinged cuffs as an intermediate force adjunct (i.e. using it as a tool to crank on your wrists to gain compliance). While nothing prohibits our use of hinged cuffs as restraints (per the last time I checked, at least), I'm neither trained on, issued, or specifically authorized the use of hinged cuffs as an intermediate force adjunct.

Not saying it's black and white........but, "thar be dragons" applies.

When I went through the Academy in the late 80s we were trained to use the handcuffs as pain compliance and part of a takedown if needed. The instructor specifically said hinged were better for this. I was trained to speed cuff. Other methods were trained as I continued in my career but all of the methods my department’s DTIs picked included using handcuffs as needed for pain compliance/takedowns. It was one of the reasons my primary cuffs were hinged.

[xtrtsqrt11]

I used to carry one pair of each, Peerless for the most part. Then I got an old Hiatts hinged set that just gave me the warm and fuzzies...

Upon applying those Hiatts, I had a number of experienced/frequent flyers, at being handcuffed, types comment that those Hiatts were extremely uncomfortable and that they felt an extra incentive not to act up.

The bevel inside the cuffs is quite a bit sharper on the Hiatts compared to the Peerless in my examples...

[jnc36rcpd]

My previous department did not prohibit hinged cuffs, but it didn't issue them either. One reason I didn't carry them was concern about injuring a suspect with an unauthorized set of handcuffs. Had I really been a believer in the superiority of hinged cuffs, I would have submitted a proposal for them.

While my chain cuffs are not issue by my current employer, I think there is less risk of injury or claimed injury than with hinged. Moreover, I can point out that I was trained with chain when I was a real cop, but have not been trained in the current agency. Of course, the same could be said for the ASP and pepper gel.

[willie]

I read the thread but saw nothing about cuffed individuals breaking cuffs by stripping them. Correctional officers will occasionally encounter men who can strip the locking mechanism. We had one person break leg irons. Strong plus crazy is a tough combination. It seems like some folks will do what they can get away with, and today they get away with more than they could in the distant past.

[Shawn Dodson]

I carried both. On compliant, non-threatening subjects I used chained because they were more comfortable than hinged. On assholes and combative subjects I used hinged because they were easier to put on, allowed for more physical control, and created more discomfort for the detainee.