# Do cops always use handcuffs during arrests? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 28, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293 "2002-11-28T04:15:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/1 "2002-11-28T04:15:49Z")
I noticed that on _Law and Order_ the cops always slap handcuffs on the suspect when making an arrest. Is this necessary when the suspect is cooperative and easily overpowered? Is this just done for effect on TV? Or do cops do it in real life just to humiliate the suspect? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/2 "2002-11-28T05:03:47Z")
It has been my experience that the police always handcuff an arrestee. Probably not a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/3 "2002-11-28T05:08:11Z")
Cops don’t do it just to humiliate the suspect. They do it for insurance. Just because I _act_ polite and you’re more powerful than I _does not_ mean that I won’t go psycho, seize your handgun and insert additional holes into your chest cavity. Seriously though, in one town I lived in I talked to a cop about this (I worked in a donut shop, no jokes…). This was Durham, North Carolina in 1996. He mentioned that it was departmental policy to handcuff anyone who was under arrest at all times between arrest and the jail. Men were to be handcuffed in back with no exceptions, while the arresting officer had the discretion to cuff either in front or in back when arresting women or runaway minors 12 or under. His assertion was that this was departmental policy and served to minimize unpleasant or dangerous incidents. Humorously enough, the next year I remember an incident where an adult female, cuffed in front and sitting in the back of a patrol car, climbed into the front seat (the partition was retracted) and drove away in said patrol car. They let her drive off due to a “no chase” policy in effect at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Luongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chris\_Luongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chris_Luongo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/4 "2002-11-30T05:11:45Z")
I’ve been arrested a few times (due to driver’s license troubles). I’ve been handcuffed from behind each time—in each case I was as cooperative as possible, and the arresting officer was careful and considerate. I think there might be a discrimination issue here too. For example, the police department might have a big lawsuit on their hands if young black men were being handcuffed, and middle-aged white women weren’t. The police are probably bound to treat all arrested suspects equally, barring special circumstances like pregnancy, childhood, physical handicap, and so forth. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/5 "2002-11-30T06:39:05Z")
Slight hijack here, but what happens when the detainee has only one hand? Are handcuffs still used? If so, what is the one hand handcuffed to? ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/6 "2002-11-30T06:49:35Z")
I was arrested once, for driving with a suspended license. The officer did not handcuff me, had me to sit in the front seat of his car, and gave me tissues and made soothing noises when I started crying. ---
**Author:** ![Tony\_Montana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tony\_Montana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tony_Montana)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/7 "2002-11-30T07:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by psychonaut \* > \*\*Slight hijack here, but what happens when the detainee has only one hand? Are handcuffs still used? If so, what is the one hand handcuffed to? \*\* This _further_begs the question ,what if the detainee has _no hands_ a wooden leg, a glass eye, a wig,false teeth,a penis pump with shot o-rings and a colostomy bag **what then??** I mean we really need to get to the bottom of every possible scenario… ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/8 "2002-11-30T09:15:14Z")
Sorry, but it doesn’t beg the question; it raises the question. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/9 "2002-11-30T12:20:18Z")
I recall an uproar when Jeffrey Dahmer first appeared in court, and it was on TV. Dahmer was uncuffed, and a black prisoner in the same room, who was charged with some minor non-violent crime (I can’t recall what), was in cuffs and leg irons. This was Milwaukee, I think. Their policy changed immediately - cuffs for all prisoners whenever they were transported out of jail. ---
**Author:** ![Badge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Badge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badge)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/10 "2002-11-30T15:09:42Z")
Most cops go with the rule of handcuffing everyone who is under arrest. This is just good officer safety. The rule is: control, cuff, search. However, some courts have ruled that applying handcuffs is a “use of force”, and so must be justified. An officer can almost always articulate a reason for handcuffing, but I personnally don’t handcuff cooperative, sober people. When a suspect only has one hand, we get creative. I’ve handcuffed their hand to their belt loop, or used a hobble rope to secure their hand to their ankle (so they can still stand and walk, but it keeps them from using their hands against me). ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2002, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/11 "2002-11-30T18:13:44Z")
During mass arrests, or sometimes during normal arrests, the police occasionally use those plastic zip strips. I don’t know the official name but they are very strong and virtually impossible to get out of. ---
**Author:** ![quicken78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/919ad9/32.png) [@quicken78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quicken78)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/12 "2002-12-01T03:57:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aeropl \* > \*\*During mass arrests, or sometimes during normal arrests, the police occasionally use those plastic zip strips. I don’t know the official name but they are very strong and virtually impossible to get out of. \*\* plasti-cuffs ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/13 "2002-12-01T04:12:32Z")
Thanks for the responses. I realize now that my perception was somewhat distorted by TV. On Law & Order, it sometimes seems like they’re trying to humiliate the guy, because it’s obvious he’s not going to attack them. Like, they walk into a board room and arrest some respected professional, and he’s saying in front of all his colleagues, “this is ridiculous - I’ve never broken a law in my life!” They’re _never_ violent when being arrested. But in real life, murderers are probably a little less polite. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/14 "2002-12-01T15:10:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimboguy \* > \*\*I recall an uproar when Jeffrey Dahmer first appeared in court, and it was on TV. Dahmer was uncuffed, and a black prisoner in the same room, who was charged with some minor non-violent crime (I can’t recall what), was in cuffs and leg irons. > > This was Milwaukee, I think. Their policy changed immediately - cuffs for all prisoners whenever they were transported out of jail. \*\* They may have made that rule then, but they certainly didn’t abide by it very well. If yo remember just a few months ago a prisoner was (I believe) uncuffed and managed to grab a deputy’s gun and shoot an officer. He was immidiatly shot and killed. NOW they have a rule that says that all prisoners must be cuffed and the violent ones have to wear one of those remote control stun belts, and they may (I’m not sure) not be letting officers bring weapons into the court house anymore. Also I was cuffed behind my back when I was picked up for “attempted retail theft” (ie shoplifting) when I was 14. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cops-always-use-handcuffs-during-arrests/139293/15 "2002-12-01T16:47:36Z")
The first time I was arrested (and I’m a big man) they did not handcuff me. The second time, they did.