Hiatts Speedcuffs
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Speedcuffs are a model of handcuff made by the British company Hiatts. They are characterised by their rigid design, the two cuffs being joined by a rigid metal bar and a black plastic grip. Their rigidity and the design of the grip makes them effective for gaining control over a struggling prisoner even if only one cuff has been applied. Speedcuffs are the standard issue handcuff for most police forces in the United Kingdom. There are few exeptions; some now use the Hiatt Ultimate cuffs, which boast a folding design that takes up less space on a duty belt, but is rigid in much the same way as the Speedcuff. This is achieved by a folding bar that once expanded locks into place and can only be folded again by using the Key. Sussex Police force do not use Hiatts but instead use Chubb Detainers that are considered to not be as good, but they believe that they reduce complaint levels among criminals over the Speedcuff.
[edit] Construction
Speedcuffs consist of two conventional ratchet handcuffs connected by a rigid metal bar, which is enclosed in a plastic grip secured with bolts. Removal of the grip offers no advantage to a prisoner seeking to escape, as it is present only to facilitate the manipulation of the handcuffs by the arresting officer.
The handcuffs themselves are slightly larger than the standard sized chain and hinged handcuffs also manufactured by Hiatts, and accommodate a greater range of wrist sizes. They feature Hiatts' 'backloading' feature, which allows the ratchet to be pulled backwards for a few clicks through the lock case to set the cuffs in the ideal position for quick application. The locks accept a standard handcuff key, and have a double lock activated through a small pin on the side of the cuff which must be depressed with a pointed object, such as the protrusion found on the top of the provided standard handcuff keys and Hiatts deluxe version, the aim of the double locking mechanism is that a criminal will not be able to tighten the cuffs and claim an officer did it that tight to hurt them.
[edit] Application
The mechanism of Speedcuff application is the same as other modern swingthrough handcuffs. By pressing the single arm of the cuff against the wrist, the arm can be made to swing around the wrist and engage with the lock on the other side. The officer may then tighten the cuff to an appropriate position before applying the other cuff and engaging the double locks to prevent the cuffs tightening any further.
Owing to their rigid design, Speedcuffs can be applied in one of four positions (these positions also apply to hinged handcuffs). In British police training, these positions are termed 'front stack', 'palm to palm', 'rear stack' and 'back to back'. Many forces teach only two positions to their officers, but some teach all four. The 'stacked' positions are those where, once applied (assuming a standing prisoner), the handcuffs are vertical and the wrists pass through the cuffs in opposite directions, resulting in one hand on each side of the handcuffs.
'Palm to palm' is where the handcuffs are applied in front of the body, with the palms of the hands facing each other. This is generally considered to be inferior in terms of security to a front stack, in which position it is extremely difficult for a prisoner to attempt to strike any person with their hands. 'Back to back' is where the handcuffs are applied to the rear of the body, with the backs of the hands facing each other. Rear palm to palm and front back to back are possible, but seldom used as back to back is more secure to the rear, and palm to palm is more comfortable to the front.
In a confrontational situation, although the ultimate intention may be to apply the handcuffs to the rear in the back-to-back position, officers are often forced to settle for the first position in which they can get both of the suspect's wrists.
[edit] Risks
As with any metal handcuff, Speedcuffs may cause nerve and other tissue damage to the wrists if applied incorrectly or if the person being handcuffed struggles unduly. For this reason, it is preferred to only apply them to compliant or subdued prisoners, but this is not always possible to arrange. A particularly enhanced risk with rigid handcuffs is most evident when one cuff has been applied. As it may be used to gain control over a prisoner through pain by moving the handcuff against the wrist, care must be taken to avoid a sudden hard shock which could break the bones in the wrist or lower arm.
There is also the potential for a violent suspect or prisoner to free an arm with a partially attached cuff and use it as a blunt weapon against the officers; this is dangerous and potentially lethal situation that can occur both with speedcuffs and regular chain cuffs.
