Misplaced Pages

#619380

66-537: The duty belt came into use in the early 1900s, in lieu of carrying the required equipment in greatcoat pockets or additional bags. These early types were almost exclusively made of dark colored leather with simple pockets or clip systems attached, such as the Sam Browne belt . However, there are some issues with the use of a duty belt, with the large amount of equipment carried on modern duty belts often weighing more than 20 lbs (9 kg). Many police forces in

132-424: A belly chain . In this type of arrangement a metal, leather, or canvas belt is attached to the waist, sometimes with a locking mechanism. The handcuffs are secured to the belly chain and the prisoner's hands are kept at waist level. This allows a relative degree of comfort for the prisoner during prolonged internment in the securing device, while providing a greater degree of restriction to movement than simply placing

198-613: A chain , a hinge , or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist. Without a key, handcuffs cannot be removed without specialist knowledge, and a handcuffed person cannot move their wrists more than a few centimetres or inches apart, making many tasks difficult or impossible. Handcuffs are frequently used by law enforcement agencies worldwide to prevent suspected criminals from escaping from police custody . There are three main types of contemporary metal handcuffs: chain (cuffs are held together by

264-424: A belt whereas the chain link could be folded; the rigid type decreases the number of possible wearing positions. Typically, the cuffs are worn in a specially designed holster at a 45° angle, on either the left or right side of the officer, depending on whether they are left- or right-handed. These types of handcuffs are known as speedcuffs or quickcuffs , as the rigid bar design allows the officer to easily control

330-500: A better chance of attempting to use a tool (such as a shim or lockpick ) to work one's way out of the handcuffs. In Japan , if an arrested suspect of crime was photographed or filmed while handcuffed, their hands have to be pixelated if it is used on TV or in the newspapers . This is because Kazuyoshi Miura , who had been arrested on suspicion of the murder of his wife, brought a successful case to court arguing that being pictured in handcuffs implied guilt , and had prejudiced

396-485: A closed baton pouch or an open top baton pouch for their extendable batons. Open top baton pouches are considered by some officers to be a safety concern as there is no thumbsnap to undo, as an officer may be unaware of the baton being taken from him or falling out when moving. Noise reduction is a major issue for an officer who may have to silently stalk a suspect. A 'silent' key keeper uses a velcro pad to prevent noise. Other types of key holders include models which work in

462-448: A closed design fastened either with a press stud or velcro. Other pouches hold a single magazine but are attached to the front of the officer's firearm holster . There are several types of baton holders for officers who have fixed or collapsible batons. For fixed straight and side-handle batons, they use a ring which keeps the baton in place, but can slide out when the officer is running or engaging in an altercation with an offender, and

528-520: A dedicated flashlight directly to the firearm. These lights tend to be especially small, light, robust, and use non-rechargeable batteries. They sometimes have special features available, such as laser emitters. Examples of popular weapon lights: Some equipment has built-in lighting to better enable the officer to perform a task without having to use an additional light. For example, the Streamlight Cuffmate has integrated LEDs so that

594-468: A fixed baton usually has to be removed before the officer can sit in their patrol vehicle . In the UK, where the police are not generally equipped with firearms, they use a cross-draw holster for their extendable batons, which is on the opposite side of their strong hand, facing forward. When an officer needs to draw the device from a cross-draw baton holster, they would be required to reach across their front to

660-554: A holder on the duty belt. Examples of popular secondary lights: Rechargeable flashlights have been known to fail at inappropriate times. Because of this, many officers carry additional non-rechargeable flashlights. These lights must be small, light, bright and absolutely dependable. These lights may be kept in a holder on the belt, or in a trouser pocket. These flashlights often use CR123 3.0 volt lithium or alkaline 1.5 volt AA battery cells. Examples of popular auxiliary lights: To allow for better weapon control, officers often attach

726-400: A key; more expensive than conventional plastic restraints, they can only be used a very limited number of times, and are not as strong as conventional disposable restraints, let alone modern metal handcuffs. In addition, plastic restraints are believed by many to be more likely to inflict nerve or soft-tissue damage to the wearer than metal handcuffs. Legcuffs are similar to handcuffs, but have

SECTION 10

#1732780739620

792-401: A knife. A handgun holster securely holds the officer's firearm. It has between one and three locking points to keep the gun in place and may have a cord attached to the firearm to prevent theft of the weapon. The radio pouch securely holds the officer's portable personal radio or handheld transceiver (HT). There are 2 popular radio pouch designs. The first consists of an L-shaped bar which

858-409: A large and powerful flashlight for duty use which is often carried on the belt, with an even more powerful one in the car. These lights are usually rechargeable and stay on the charger when not in use. Long, cylindrical flashlights tend to be carried in a flashlight ring. Rings are simple and inexpensive, and are convenient for flashlights which are not regularly carried. However, the flashlight—which

924-497: A larger inner perimeter so that they fit around a person's ankles. Some models consist of elliptically contoured cuffs so that they widely adapt to the anatomy of the ankle, minimizing pressure on the Achilles' tendon. Standard-type leg irons have a longer chain connecting the two cuffs compared to handcuffs. On occasions when a suspect exhibits extremely aggressive behavior, leg irons may be used in addition to handcuffs; sometimes

990-433: A longer connector chain . These combinations further restrict the detainee's freedom of movement and prevent them from escaping. Handcuffs with double locks have a detent which when engaged stops the cuff from ratcheting tighter to prevent the wearer from tightening them. Tightening could be intentional or by struggling; if tightened, the handcuffs may cause nerve damage or loss of circulation. Also some wearers could tighten

1056-431: A secure area to prevent attempts to escape. When being placed in standard legcuffs, the prisoner will still have the possibility to manage normal steps and can therefore walk independently, but is prevented from running. When the connecting chain between the legcuffs is shortened, the prisoner will have even difficulties to walk so that the flight risk is further minimized. In this case, the prisoner will have to be carried by

1122-522: A short chain), hinged (since hinged handcuffs permit less movement than a chain cuff, they are generally considered to be more secure), and rigid solid bar handcuffs. While bulkier to carry, rigid handcuffs permit several variations in cuffing. Hiatts Speedcuffs are rigid handcuffs used by most police forces in the United Kingdom. Both rigid and hinged cuffs can be used one-handed to apply pain-compliance/control techniques that are not workable with

1188-452: A significant risk of injury if the prisoner trips or stumbles, in addition to injuries sustained from overly tight handcuffs causing handcuff neuropathy. Police officers having custody of the person need to be ready to catch a stumbling prisoner. As soon as restraints go on, the officer has full liability. The risk of the prisoner losing balance is higher if the hands are handcuffed behind the back than if they are handcuffed in front; however,

1254-429: A variety of pouches, such as open and closed top holders and handcuff loops. Recently, concerns have been aired that carrying handcuffs on the back of the belt may be unsafe, due to the pressure exerted on the small of the back by the cuffs and case, while seated. Although this may not be a problem for beat officers, who patrol an area on foot, this can cause severe problems in vehicle-based 'response' officers. Over time,

1320-425: A variety of sizes. Modern handcuffs are generally ratcheted until they are too tight to be slipped off the hands. However, slipping out of ratchet cuffs is still possible. During his shows, Harry Houdini was frequently secured with multiple pairs of handcuffs. Any pair that was too difficult to be picked was placed on his upper arms. Being very muscular, his upper arms were far larger than his hands. Once he had picked

1386-665: A way to restrain disruptive passengers. Disposable restraints could be considered to be cost-inefficient; they cannot be loosened, and must be cut off to permit a restrained subject to be fingerprinted, or to attend to bodily functions. It is not unheard of for a single subject to receive five or more sets of disposable restraints in their first few hours in custody. However, aforementioned usage means that cheap handcuffs are available in situations where steel ones would normally lie unused for long times. Recent products have been introduced that serve to address this concern, including disposable plastic restraints that can be opened or loosened with

SECTION 20

#1732780739620

1452-417: Is black; however, there is some variation. In some instances, brown leather is used in place of black, which is generally only chosen for cosmetic purposes — usually because it is more suited to the color scheme of the officers' uniforms. Duty belts wrap around the officer's waist and fasten with a buckle at the front. This is often protected by a velcro cover to prevent release of the belt by anyone other than

1518-400: Is in a detachable holder, attached to the wearer by a belt loop and a lanyard . This provides the officer with both an easy, fast method of bringing their spray in a position for use against a suspect and also a secure way of carrying it, as the lanyard means that it is always within reach of the officer, and they have a method of drawing it back should it fall. Another method of carriage that

1584-403: Is often heavy—is permitted a great amount of vertical and horizontal freedom which can make the light insecure and uncomfortable to carry. Examples of popular primary flashlights: Because of the size and weight of most primary lights, and sometimes agency policy, many officers choose to carry a smaller secondary flashlight for everyday tasks. These lights are usually rechargeable and are kept in

1650-479: Is that greater comfort is provided, and magazines are in a position that makes it easier for an officer to retrieve and load them into the handgun. There is also variation in the number of magazines a pouch holds. The norm is for two magazines to be carried, but there are also variants which allow for carriage of more, or less, dependent on the needs of the officer. Also, similar to holders of other items of equipment, these can be found with either an open top design, or

1716-500: Is to decrease the chance of the belt being released by anyone but its wearer. Plastic buckles are often favored over the traditional metal versions, because when in use it is much easier to adjust the length of the belt to suit the officers' natural curves, whereas with the metal belt buckles it was only possible to have the belt at pre-set lengths, determined by the position of the holes in the belt, therefore making it difficult to suit an officer personally. Equipment commonly carried on

1782-426: Is used, and is more basic, is to simply contain the canister in a pouch, secured by either a velcro or button fastener. For the canister to be ready for operational use, most pouches of this type contain a coiled spring at the bottom bringing the canister into reach above the neck of the pouch when the cover is undone. Some officers who carry a taser did not carry OC in the past, due to concerns of safety (ignition of

1848-537: The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and others are notable exceptions, as they favor palms-together handcuffing. This helps prevent radial neuropathy or handcuff neuropathy during extended periods of restraint. Suspects are handcuffed with the keyholes facing up (away from the hands) to make it difficult to open them even with a key or improvised lock-pick . Because a person's hands are used in breaking falls, being handcuffed introduces

1914-496: The United Kingdom began with a uniform consisting of a swallow-tail coat and top hat. A pillbox or kepi hat along with a frock coat were introduced in the 1860s, along with helmets designed especially for protection against attack and the weather. Truncheons themselves had been introduced as early as 1764, however it was not until 1994 that police forces in the UK started to nationally standardize their uniform prompting

1980-481: The biceps and triceps muscles, and when tried by suspects (even unsuccessfully) can lead to injury, including bruising around the wrists, or tearing the muscles used (including pulling them off their attachments to the bones). Another common method of escaping (or attempting to escape) from being handcuffed behind the back, is that one would, from a sitting or lying position, bring one's legs up as high upon one's torso as possible, then push one's arms down to bring

2046-649: The trial . Similarly, in France , a law prohibits media from airing images of people in handcuffs, or otherwise restrained, before they have been convicted by a court. Also in Italy the Code of criminal procedure prohibits the publication of images of people deprived of personal liberty while they are handcuffed or subjected to other means of physical coercion. According to the Italian independent authority on data protection,

Police duty belt - Misplaced Pages Continue

2112-540: The United States, the United Kingdom and Latin America can be opened with the same standard universal handcuff key. This allows for easier transport of prisoners. However, there are handcuff makers who use keys based on different standards. Maximum security handcuffs require special keys. Handcuff keys usually do not work with thumbcuffs . The Cuff Lock handcuff key padlock uses this same standard key. To prevent

2178-462: The belt includes: handcuff , radios , baton , hand-held protection devices such as pepper spray , firearms and ammunition , taser , flashlights , batteries, gloves, pens, pencils, keys, multi-tool, window punch etc. The equipment carried largely differs from country to country, and between areas in the same country not only because of choice but natural hazards — e.g. pepper spray would freeze in very cold climates. In some countries officers carry

2244-473: The chain connecting the leg irons to one another is looped around the chain of the handcuffs, and then the leg irons are applied, resulting in the person being " hog-tied ". In a few rare cases, hog-tied persons lying on their stomachs have died from positional asphyxia , making the practice highly controversial, and leading to its being severely restricted, or even completely banned, in many localities. Legcuffs are also used when transporting prisoners outside of

2310-503: The chain type of cuff. Various accessories are available to improve the security or increase the rigidity of handcuffs, including boxes that fit over the chain or hinge and can themselves be locked with a padlock . In 1933 the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used a type called "Mitten Handcuffs" to prevent criminals from being able to grab an object like the officer's gun. While used by some in law enforcement it

2376-558: The constitution. Police handcuffs are sometimes used in sexual bondage and BDSM activities. This is potentially unsafe, because they were not designed for this purpose, and their use can result in nerve injury ( handcuff neuropathy ) or other tissue damage. Bondage cuffs were designed specifically for this application. They were designed using the same model of soft restraints used on psychiatric patients because they can be worn for long periods of time. Many such models can be fastened shut with padlocks. Handcuffs are familiar enough for

2442-858: The cuffs on the other pair, and then the remaining open handcuff on each pair is applied to the person's wrists. Oversized handcuffs are available from a number of manufacturers. The National Museum of Australia has a number of handcuffs in its collection dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include 'T'-type 'Come Along', 'D'-type and 'Figure-8' handcuffs. Plastic restraints, known as wrist ties, riot cuffs, plasticuffs, flexicuffs, flex-cuffs, tri-fold cuffs, zapstraps, zipcuffs, or zip-strips, are lightweight, disposable plastic strips resembling electrical cable ties. They can be carried in large quantities by soldiers and police and are therefore well-suited for situations where many may be needed, such as during large-scale protests and riots. In recent years, airlines have begun to carry plastic handcuffs as

2508-432: The cuffs to attempt an escape by having the officer loosen the cuffs and attempting to escape while the cuffs are loose. Double locks also make picking the locks more difficult. There exist three kinds of double locks as described in a Smith & Wesson brochure: Double locks are generally disengaged by inserting the key and rotating it in the opposite direction from that used to unlock the cuff. Most modern handcuffs in

2574-403: The face and the hands, whilst the short rain-cape at the shoulders protects from the wind and repels rain. In the 19th century, such a coat was part of a soldier's military uniform , to be worn whilst on watch (guard duty), hence the term watchcoat . The drape of the greatcoat reached to below the knee of the wearer, the short cape drapes to the elbow, and the capacious external pockets allow

2640-400: The feet; then sliding each foot up and over the cuffs. These maneuvers, and the reverse (otherwise impossible) maneuver of bringing the handcuffed hands up behind the back and forwards over the head and then down in front, can be done fairly easily by some people who were born without collarbones because of the inherited deformity called cleidocranial dysostosis . From this position, one has

2706-553: The handcuff case may cause a rupture in the L-5 disc of the back , and cause pinching of the Sciatic nerve — thus numbing the officer's left leg, severely affecting his or her running ability. Some officers choose to carry their handcuffs in the small of back position, but do not utilize a handcuff case, meaning that one side of the handcuffs is pushed between the officer's belt and trousers (or simply tucked into his or her trousers), and

Police duty belt - Misplaced Pages Continue

2772-407: The handcuffs below one's feet, finally pulling the handcuffs up using one's arms to the front of one's body. This can lead to awkward or painful positions depending on how the handcuffs were applied, and typically requires a good amount of flexibility . It can also be done from a standing position, where, with some degree of effort, the handcuffed hands are slid around the hips and down the buttocks to

2838-399: The handcuffs on the wrists in the front. When the handcuffs are concealed by a handcuff cover and secured at the prisoner's waist by a belly chain, this combination will result in a rather more severe restraint and the restrained person may feel discomfort or even pain. For added security, some transport restraints have a pair of leg irons connected to a pair of handcuffs or a belly chain by

2904-458: The introduction of the duty belt to contain such equipment, instead of previously having their staff carry equipment in their handbags or adapted pockets. In the case of the earliest equipment carrying, a cutlass or firearm was usually clipped to the belt of the frock coat. In fact pockets themselves were not introduced until the early 1900s in some cases. Before duty belts, British female officers carried their truncheons, which were shorter than

2970-421: The locks on the lower pairs of handcuffs, the upper pair could simply be slipped off. It is also technically possible to break free from handcuffs by applying massive amounts of force from one's arms to cause the device to split apart or loosen enough to squeeze one's hands through; however, this takes exceptional strength (especially with handcuffs made of steel ). This also puts an immense amount of pressure on

3036-764: The male version, in their handbags along with their police notebook as a matter of routine. Male officers carried handcuffs , whereas female officers were not permitted to without special permission. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Sam Browne belt was in popular use by police officers in the USA. Most duty belts have a width of 2-1/4 inches and are either made of ballistic nylon or leather . Many Canadian police departments have had officers complain of having back pain due to their supposedly rigid leather belts. In response, many Canadian departments are now switching to nylon belts because they are considered by some to be more flexible. The Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) ,

3102-420: The officer can see keyholes on his handcuffs when restraining a suspect in darkness. Spare magazines or speedloaders are carried to reload a gun. Magazines may be carried in a vertical position, or in a horizontal position. The advantage of carriage in a vertical, upright position is that the magazine occupies less space on the belt and therefore more magazines can be carried. The advantage of horizontal carry

3168-415: The officer's uniform shirt. Recently, in-ear monitoring has become more common, with a smaller lapel microphone clipped to the shirt. This in-ear system supplements or replaces the older lapel microphone. A 'Push to Talk' button is usually located at the radio, or extended to a separate switch located elsewhere on the officer. Handcuffs are commonly carried at many different locations on the belt, and using

3234-399: The officer. In the past, many belts would sag and move around while around the waist while an officer was engaging in a physical activity. Belt keepers wrap around the duty belt and trouser belt , ensuring that the belt stays in place, even when the officer is taking something from the belt or engaging in an altercation with a suspect. Belt suspenders allow the wearer to move a portion of

3300-454: The other side is allowed to hang loose on the outside. This method is often utilized by plain clothes officers who do not wear a belt of any sort, and therefore are unable to use a proper handcuff case. Modern British police officers who carry handcuffs openly have an adapted holder designed to accommodate the cuffs at an angle, with a speed release mechanism. Because of the rigid bar in this type of handcuffs, these tend to occupy more space on

3366-458: The other side of the belt, where the baton is, undo a thumbsnap (these baton holders have open tops, but are considered secure) and pull the baton out of the pouch. These holders also allow the baton to be stored while extended to allow the officer to arrest a suspect without the officer having to drop their baton or collapse it, which could take time and allowing the suspect to stage a counterattack or escape. Elsewhere, officers can choose to have

SECTION 50

#1732780739620

3432-491: The past, police officers typically handcuffed an arrested person with their hands in front, but since approximately the mid-1960s behind-the-back handcuffing has been the standard. The vast majority of police academies in the United States today also teach their recruits to apply handcuffs so that the palms of the suspect's hands face outward after the handcuffs are applied. The Jacksonville, Florida Police Department,

3498-555: The propellant) and limited belt space; the taser and OC are often considered to be approximately the same level of force. This has largely changed in the US, as the Taser is more effective , and the OC sprays are now nonflammable. The taser is normally carried in a one- or no-point locking holster slanted across the front of the officer's duty belt. Law enforcement and security officers often have

3564-427: The radio rests on, and is secured by a loop around the middle of the radio. The second is a two-piece design consisting of a radio pouch and a swivel. The radio is held in the pouch by a loop over the top, then the pouch is attached to the belt by a swivel. This design allows the radio to be easily removed from the belt for handheld use. Often, an external speaker microphone is attached to the radio, usually clipped to

3630-411: The restrained person from eventually opening the handcuffs with a handcuff key, a handcuff cover may be used to conceal the keyholes of the handcuffs. When applied behind the back with keyholes away from the hands, handcuffs connected by a hinge or rigid bar are much more secure than handcuffs connected by a chain. Even with a key in hand it is difficult or impossible to reach the keyholes with it. In

3696-407: The risk of any injury to the officer. Traditionally, belts have been fastened using a metal buckle; however, this type is changing for a number of reasons. Now plastic buckles are more common, and many incorporate a three-way buckle system for added security. An example of this is the 'Coplock' system, which requires the wearer to depress a third release catch before the buckles may be separated; this

3762-450: The risk of using fisted hands together as a weapon increases with hands in front. Since handcuffs are only intended as temporary restraints, they are not the most complicated of locks. There are several ways of escaping from handcuffs: The above methods are often used in escapology . As most people's hands are larger than their wrists, the first method was much easier before the invention of modern ratchet cuffs, which can be adjusted to

3828-492: The same prohibition applies when the image of the handcuffs is pixelated. In Hong Kong , people being arrested and led away in handcuffs are usually given the chance by the policemen to have their heads covered by a black cloth bag. In Sri Lanka , women are generally not handcuffed by the police. The High Court in Windhoek , Namibia , prohibited in mid July 2020 the use of handcuffs under any circumstances, as it violates

3894-422: The same way as a tape-measure, automatically retracting keys after use. A hidden key keeper, which is concealed in a belt, is mostly used for the storage of spare sets of handcuff keys. Greatcoat A greatcoat (also watchcoat ) is a large, woollen overcoat designed for warmth and protection against wind and weather, and features a collar that can be turned up and cuffs that can be turned down to protect

3960-575: The second largest municipal police service in Canada, gave a contract to a consulting firm in order to find more ergonomic solutions. In Australia, instead of belts the WA Police are trending towards wearing vests with more equipment in them than belts due to back problems, and maneuverability. Older belts used to fail under the weight of whatever was carried; recently, manufacturers have introduced double-ply belts which retain their shape and can withstand

4026-635: The suspect and a much quicker placement on the wrist of the offender. Rigid handcuffs are most popular in the UK. Some officer supplement their standard handcuffs with disposable restraints ('zip ties'), such as the ASP Tri-Fold (TM) restraints, which can be carried in a pocket or in a specialized pouch on the belt. Aerosol chemical irritants are also commonly carried by police officers. The four most common formulations are: OC , CS , CN tear gas, or PAVA Spray . They are referred to as control sprays, pepper spray or mace . One method of carrying these

SECTION 60

#1732780739620

4092-552: The transporting officers or has to be moved in a wheelchair. In some countries, prisoners are permanently shackled with legcuffs even when they are held in their cells. Such a long term use of leg shackles may soon result in pressure marks on the prisoner's ankles and will cause serious harm. Therefore, such a treatment of prisoners is commonly considered a cruel and unusual punishment. Some prisoners being transported from custody to outside locations, for appearances at court, to medical facilities, etc., will wear handcuffs augmented with

4158-602: The wearer to carry dry food and other items; an example is the Petersham coat , named after Viscount Petersham . In the fashion of the Regency era (1795–1837) a greatcoat might feature several short capes, usually designed, cut, and tailored to the specifications of fit and aesthetic taste of a dandy . Handcuffs Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by

4224-431: The weight of the belt onto the shoulders, reducing the weight imposed on the lower back. This also means that the belt does not have to be worn as tightly, cutting down on pressure exerted on the stomach and waist area. However, there are also safety concerns over suspenders, as they can be used against the officer in the event of a struggle, but newer versions such as break off act like a clip-on tie when pulled, reducing

4290-481: The weight of the equipment. Nylon duty gear is generally less expensive, lighter, and easier to maintain than leather gear of comparable quality. However, leather gear is generally regarded as having a more traditional and professional appearance. To combine the best of both materials, companies like Bianchi manufacture nylon duty gear that has the appearance of leather. The most common color for duty belts in service with law enforcement personnel and security officers

4356-401: Was never popular. Handcuffs may be manufactured from various metals , including carbon steel , stainless steel and aluminium , or from synthetic polymers . Sometimes two pairs of handcuffs are needed to restrain a person with an exceptionally large waistline because the hands cannot be brought close enough together; in this case, one cuff on one pair of handcuffs is handcuffed to one of

#619380