flex cuffs do's and dont's

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38 LAW and ORDER I April 2012 SPECIAL REPORT Flex Cuffs Do’s and Don’ts SUMMARY Depending on how the flex cuffs are applied, the person may be able to quickly and easily slip out of them. Training in the right technique is definitely required. They don’t have to be injury-causing tight if they are put on properly. T o address large-scale arrest situations, most police departments supply their officers with plastic flex cuffs. These inexpensive plastic restraints can provide quick control measures for large numbers of arrested people. But don’t be surprised that after placing someone in flex cuffs, you look to notice them unrestrained. By Tom Wetzel Warning: Flex Cuffs Require Extra Attention Flex cuffs, also referred to as zip ties, are easier to escape from than many officers realize and training videos on the Internet teach people how to es- cape them. Having an understanding of flex cuff limitations, applying them so as to limit opportunities for escape, and paying attention to those wearing them may help officers prevent per- sons from getting out of them. Methods of Escape Watching escape training videos are useful for officers to learn how an es- cape from a flex cuff may be accom- plished. Some methods of escape for a basic single flex cuff that I observed include breaking the flex cuffs through a forceful action against the body, slip- ping through them, shimming them loose, and using friction saws to melt them loose. Depending on how the flex cuffs are applied to the wrists of a person, slipping out of them can be accom- plished pretty quickly. This action can be advanced when a person clenches his/her fists when the flex cuffs are applied. This allows for extra space around the wrist area. After the cuffs are placed on the wrists, a person can then relax his/her hands, which makes the wrists slightly smaller and provides more room within the re- strained area. This allows a person to slip their hands through easier. You don’t just zip them on... 38 LAW and ORDER I April 2012

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Page 1: Flex Cuffs Do's and Dont's

38 LAW and ORDER I April 2012

SPECIAL REPORT Flex Cuffs Do’s and Don’ts

SUMMARYDepending on how the flex cuffs are

applied, the person may be able to quickly

and easily slip out of them. Training in the

right technique is definitely required. They

don’t have to be injury-causing tight if they

are put on properly.

To address large-scale

arrest situations, most police

departments supply their officers

with plastic flex cuffs. These inexpensive plastic restraints can provide quick control measures for large numbers of arrested people. But don’t be surprised that after placing someone in flex cuffs, you look to notice them unrestrained.

By Tom Wetzel

Warning: Flex Cuffs

Require Extra Attention

Flex cuffs, also referred to as zip ties, are easier to escape from than many officers realize and training videos on the Internet teach people how to es-cape them. Having an understanding of flex cuff limitations, applying them so as to limit opportunities for escape, and paying attention to those wearing them may help officers prevent per-sons from getting out of them.

Methods of EscapeWatching escape training videos are useful for officers to learn how an es-cape from a flex cuff may be accom-plished. Some methods of escape for a basic single flex cuff that I observed include breaking the flex cuffs through

a forceful action against the body, slip-ping through them, shimming them loose, and using friction saws to melt them loose.

Depending on how the flex cuffs are applied to the wrists of a person, slipping out of them can be accom-plished pretty quickly. This action can be advanced when a person clenches his/her fists when the flex cuffs are applied. This allows for extra space around the wrist area. After the cuffs are placed on the wrists, a person can then relax his/her hands, which makes the wrists slightly smaller and provides more room within the re-strained area. This allows a person to slip their hands through easier.

You don’t just zip them on...

38 LAW and ORDER I April 2012

Page 2: Flex Cuffs Do's and Dont's

www.lawandordermag.com 39

When I had practiced placing flex cuffs on my own wrists with another officer prior to watching some of these videos, I initially placed my hands and wrists together so they were facing each other in the front. I was able to escape from them fairly quickly. When I placed my hands and wrists perpendicular to each other, I was unable to escape.

But that doesn’t mean someone with some training could not escape from this restraint arrangement. It is important to understand that persons about to be restrained may try to con-trol the situation by bringing their hands to you in the manner they want to be cuffed. They can then apply what they have learned.

Escape Prevention ObjectivesThere are a number of objectives that police officers and their agencies can take to address the concerns of escapes

during large-scale arrest situations. By watching these escape training videos, officers can learn how people are taught to escape and address their restraint ap-plications accordingly.

After learning what may be at-tempted, trainers can develop lesson plans to teach officers on what to look for from subjects about to be restrained and how to limit escape opportunities when applying restraints. Watching some of these videos would be valuable components of a training program.

Having officers place the restraints on each other in a variety of ways during training can help an officer understand what a subject experiences, including flex cuffs that get placed on too tight, which could injure a person.

Department administrators and trainers should evaluate their current stock of flex cuffs to determine if they are the right fit for their agency’s needs. Better flex cuff-type restraints are avail-

CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRAINING AND FIELD USE OF SINGLE FLEX CUFF

Advise the subject to relax his/her hands

prior to applying the cuffs. By directing the

person to relax the hands, the officer can

help limit the amount of loose space within

the cuffs the person may have if his/her

hands were in a tight fist prior to the cuffs

being applied.

Be cautious if someone tried to direct

you on how he/she wants to be handcuffed

with flex cuffs. A person may be trying

to put himself/herself in a certain escape

position by presenting his/her hands in a

particular fashion.

There may be times that due to a per-

son’s prior or current injuries, an officer will

try to place the flex cuffs in a manner that

doesn’t aggravate an injury at the request of

the subject.

Cuff behind the back. Just like regular

cuffs, a person should be restrained from

behind as much as possible. Although es-

capes can still happen, this position will

likely cause limitations due to body posi-

tioning and the difficulty in being able to

observe the cuffs themselves.

Also, if a subject is cuffed in the front, he/

she can still use his/her hands to attack an

officer, i.e. double fist punch to the face, use

of the cuffed hands to choke an officer. If a

subject is placed in a cruiser, he/she will be

limited in their movement due to the seat.

Keep subjects separated after being

cuffed. If subjects are close enough to

each other, one may be able to release

the other’s flex cuffs without a lot of notice.

The other person can then be released.

Watch for excessive movements. Once

cuffed, an officer should try to watch

for a subject making excessive move-

ments. These actions may involve an es-

cape attempt, although not all attempts

may involve lots of movement such as

someone trying to use a shim to escape

the flex cuffs.

It may be difficult to watch a large

number of subjects who are cuffed,- but

officers should try to scan a large group

and watch for suspicious arm and

shoulder movements.

Subjects with flex cuffs in the front can be dangerous.

Subjects may position their hands to an officer so a gap could be

established to allow them to slip out of flex cuffs once applied.

Page 3: Flex Cuffs Do's and Dont's

40 LAW and ORDER I April 2012

able that may be harder from which to escape. Decisions will have to be made on whether more costly variations of backup restraints are affordable for the agency.

The purchase of a smaller quantity of better restraints to supplement the current department supply may be a possi-bility versus a full replacement, which could strain an agen-cy’s budget. The better restraints would be the first ones used during a large-scale arrest situation.

During the evaluation process, officers should obtain sam-ples of different types of flex cuffs and test them with patrol officers. Getting their feedback is important as they will have to use these restraint devices on the street. How quickly they can be applied, storage of the equipment, and how easily someone can escape from them would be factors to consider.

Awareness is the key. The use of flex cuffs has a valuable application for police personnel in restraining persons in large-scale arrest situations such as a riot. Knowing your re-straints and their limitations, increased training in their use, and an awareness of counter training to escape them can help officers prevent escapes by subjects placed in them.

Tom Wetzel is a northeast Ohio suburban police lieutenant, SWAT officer,

trainer and certified law enforcement executive. He holds a black belt in

Goshin Jujitsu. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Subject flex cuffed in the back.

Caution should be

applied so the flex cuffs

are not too tight and

cut off circulation to the

subject’s hands. Some

temporary red marks

are possible after an

application.

Subject trying to use a post to break the flex

cuffs. Officers should pay attention to attempts to escape

flex cuffs.

Flex Cuffs Do’s and Don’tsSPECIAL REPORT