Handcuffing policy

The request was successful.

Dear Hampshire Constabulary,

I understand that there is Home Office Approved Training for the application of handcuffs on suspects/detainees, however, there seems to be a lack of information regarding what type of suspect/detainee should have which of the approved application methods applied.

I have found information that rear handcuffing in the stack position should be applied to slimmer people and larger suspects should have either back to back (of hand) or if impractical, to have 2 sets of handcuffs connected together.

It is clear that some people are too large to have rear stack at all or are large enough not to be able to have rear stack without causing considerable pain, discomfort and injury, yet I have found evidence of some people who clearly shouldn't have been handcuffed in the rear stack position being handcuffed in the aforementioned position.

What is your force policy on handcuffing large people who struggle to or cannot practically position their hands/arms for a rear stack and what are officers taught in regards to handcuffing in the rear stack position?

Yours faithfully,

Daniel Elliott

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

1 Attachment

 

Dear Mr Elliott

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: HC/002363/19

 

The following request for information under the Freedom of Information Act
was received by the Public Access office at Hampshire Constabulary on the
date listed above:

 

I understand that there is Home Office Approved Training for the
application of handcuffs on suspects/detainees, however, there seems to be
a lack of information regarding what type of suspect/detainee should have
which of the approved application methods applied.

 

I have found information that rear handcuffing in the stack position
should be applied to slimmer people and larger suspects should have either
back to back (of hand) or if impractical, to have 2 sets of handcuffs
connected together.

 

It is clear that some people are too large to have rear stack at all or
are large enough not to be able to have rear stack without causing
considerable pain, discomfort and injury, yet I have found evidence of
some people who clearly shouldn't have been handcuffed in the rear stack
position being handcuffed in the aforementioned position.

 

What is your force policy on handcuffing large people who struggle to or
cannot practically position their hands/arms for a rear stack and what are
officers taught in regards to handcuffing in the rear stack position?

 

Your request will be considered in accordance with the legislation and you
will receive a response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days,
subject to the provisions of the Act.  In the unlikely event that
Hampshire Constabulary is unable to meet the 20 working day deadline, you
will be informed as soon as possible and given a revised time-scale for
response.

 

To be accepted, any clarification(s) to your request must be submitted in
writing directly to the Public Access team at Hampshire Constabulary. 

If your request requires either full or partial transference to another
public authority, you will be informed.  Should you have any further
enquiries concerning this matter, please write or contact Public Access on
telephone number 02380 479 580 quoting the reference number above.

 

Kind Regards

 

 

Sue Adcock | Public Access

Joint Information Management Unit | Hampshire Constabulary & Thames Valley
Police

Telephone 02380 479580 | Internal 463 1754

Address: Hampshire Constabulary, Mottisfont Court, Tower Street,
Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8ZD.

 

Information Management Helpdesk:

Hampshire :[1][email address] / 02380
479580 (Int 463 1754)

Thames Valley: [2][email address] /
01865 542051 (Int 300 329)

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

1 Attachment

 

 

 

Rose Gaunt | Public Access Officer
Joint Information Management Unit | Hampshire Constabulary & Thames Valley
Police
Telephone 02380 479580 | Internal 463 1759
Address | Hampshire Constabulary, Mottisfont Court, Tower Street,
Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8ZD

 

Information Management Helpdesk:

Hampshire - [1][email address] / 02380
479580 (internal 463 1760)

Thames Valley - [2][email address] /
01865 542051 (internal 300 6329)

 

 

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]