Types of Handcuff

cpstears

Anyone care to discuss the benefit of chain, hinge, rigid cuffs? Why to AGS not have rigid cuffs like most forces in the UK?

the locust

They are more expensive than chain.

They do provide extra control over a prisoner but in doing so cause damage to the wrists - bruising, more marks than normal etc... I have heard that some UK police services are withdrawing the rigids for this reason - too easy to abuse prisoners with them.

Having said that i'm all for folding rigids, ASP do a nice set which are bowed and semi plastic making them a wee bit more ethical, the college tell every phase they are getting folding rigids soon.

The other disadvantage of the rigids is they can't fold (unless they are folding rigids:) )
Meaning they have to sit out visibly on the officers belt for storage. AGS brass don't like this aggressive look, they want the cuffs hidden.

chain - http://www.hiatts.com/products/chainstyle.aspx
hinge - http://www.hiatts.com/products/hingestyle.aspx
rigid - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiatts_Speedcuffs
folding rigid - http://www.handcuffwarehouse.com/aspriha.html

JonAnderton

Aggressive look??? I know the Met had the same issue with the arnold batons... but we're going back towards them now... Do the managment think that the pucblic don't know the guards carry cuffs?...

I'd rather have a pair of cuffs I can draw and apply quickly and which offer a better degree of restraint and control then something the headsheds have decided on because I can hide them easier...

With regards to the folding rigids, I know two people who have used them and had the suspect break the bar which locks them out....

As with most of our kit, it's horses for courses... I carry three different types as a matter of course... Rigid, back up chainlinks and a pair of plasticuffs in my kit bag... Can't stress the benfits of a backup pair enough... three of them, two of you... not exactly Pimms O'Clock...

cushtac

Hinged cuffs have been bought & training will begin on them soon. Only one force in the UK still uses chain link cuffs, no one's going back to them.

source

hinged cuffs have been issued to the current phase 3's and training will be completed on them by friday of this week.

Fyr.Fytr

They asp handcuffs?

source

yup that they are

Fyr.Fytr

Good luck with that.

talking to my dads mate whos a police officer in the uk, his force have just binned them as they're crap, fall apart way to easily and parts are expensive.

Stick with the smith and wesson 100's, seem far better from all ive heard

the locust

cushtac wrote: »

Hinged cuffs have been bought & training will begin on them soon. Only one force in the UK still uses chain link cuffs, no one's going back to them.

UK Cops are getting rid of the rigids though and switching to hinged and folding types.

Police Switch From Rigid Cuffs (Police Oracle Mag)
15-Aug-08

The demise of the Hiatt factory in the UK has quickened the shift from rigid cuffs to hinged cuffs by UK police forces....

The demise of the Hiatt factory in the UK has quickened the shift from rigid cuffs to hinged cuffs by UK police forces.

The Times newspaper reported in July that the shock closing of the Hiatt factory in Birmingham had caused concern among the police due to there being no source of supply for their commonly used rigid cuffs. This has been the prompt for many UK forces to trial, and begin issuing, hinged cuffs.

Within only a few weeks, three UK forces have started issuing ASP hinged cuffs and they are on trial with a further thirteen forces. Colin Stanford of Pinnacle Response, the UK importer for ASP said, “There was already a lot of interest in Asp hinged cuffs but the Hiatt situation has resulted in procurement departments requiring an immediate ASP supply. We’ve increased UK shipments considerably to meet demand.”

gerire

We were told that although the current phase 3's did get semi rigid cuffs us next year will be getting the solid cuffs

cushtac

gerire wrote: »

We were told that although the current phase 3's did get semi rigid cuffs us next year will be getting the solid cuffs

They've about 9000 sets of hinged ones to issue first.

ScubaDave

They'll have these cuffs replaced with newer ones before they issue these ones!

JonAnderton

Hinged makes sense. the restraint and control benefits of a rigid, with the 'wearablility' of chainlinks...

Having said that, nothing makes you look more Serpico or Vic Mackey than a pair of chainlinks hanging off the back of your belt... you all know who you are:D:D:D

Jay112

foinse wrote: »

hinged cuffs have been issued to the current phase 3's and training will be completed on them by friday of this week.

Jesus their minds change like the wind:rolleyes:, when we were in the college we were told more or less the rigids! not particularly bothered about which we get to be honest!

MrBlack93

Giving this thread a wee bump outta curiosity what type of handcuffs are the students receiving training on in 2017 ?

Xios

MrBlack93 wrote: »

Giving this thread a wee bump outta curiosity what type of handcuffs are the students receiving training on in 2017 ?

The ones in the post above you.