All persons arrested by, or placed in the custody of, personnel shall be handcuffed except when, in the judgment of such personnel, handcuffing is unnecessary.
It is considered advisable to use handcuffs when:
- An arrest is made;
- Transporting a prisoner in public or from one facility to another;
- A prisoner is violent or gives an indication of belligerence;
- A prisoner may cause injury to himself or others; and/or
- A suspect's history is not known.
The decision to use or not use handcuffs should always be carefully balanced between the care of the suspect in custody versus officer’s safety and the ability to safely secure the suspect. Officer safety is paramount.
Handcuffs may or may not be necessary for suspects when:
- The suspect is obviously deceased (absence of respirations and pulse);
- The handcuffs interfere with medical treatment; and
- The security of an injured suspect can be achieved by alternate means (additional sufficient personnel to secure scene safely, soft restraints, etc.)
Deputy personnel shall determine the practicality or necessity of using handcuffs in such situations as transporting juveniles, elderly or mentally ill persons, and arresting seriously injured or ill persons.
When handcuffs are used:
- They shall be of a type specified by the Department;
- Prisoners shall be handcuffed with hands behind their backs when feasible;
- A female prisoner shall not be cuffed to a male prisoner except in an emergency. Once the emergency no longer exists, the female and male prisoners will no longer be handcuffed together;
- All visibly pregnant prisoners shall only be handcuffed individually and with their hands in front of their bodies. No waist chains or leg irons shall be used and pregnant prisoners shall not be handcuffed to other inmates at any time;
- A juvenile shall not be cuffed to an adult except in an emergency. Once the emergency no longer exists, the juvenile and adult will no longer be handcuffed together; and
- Handcuffs shall be double locked. If a situation exists whereby double locking cannot be reasonably accomplished, the handcuffs will be double locked after the situation no longer exists.
The emergency that triggered the exceptions in Departmental handcuffing policy shall be documented.
Bottleneck cuffs may be utilized by transportation deputies.