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New Brighton Department of Public Safety <br />Law Enforcement Policy Manual <br />Handcuffing and Restraints <br />301.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE <br />This policy provides guidelines for the use of handcuffs and other restraints during detentions and <br />arrests. <br />301.2 POLICY <br />The New Brighton Department of Public Safety authorizes the use of restraint devices in <br />accordance with this policy, the Use of Force Policy and department training. Restraint devices <br />shall not be used to punish, to display authority or as a show of force. <br />301.3 USE OF RESTRAINTS <br />Only members who have successfully completed New Brighton Department of Public Safety - <br />approved training on the use of restraint devices described in this policy are authorized to use <br />these devices. <br />When deciding whether to use any restraint, officers should carefully balance officer safety <br />concerns with factors that include, but are not limited to: <br />• The circumstances or crime leading to the arrest. <br />• The demeanor and behavior of the arrested person. <br />• The age and health of the person. <br />• Whether the person is known to be pregnant. <br />• Whether the person has a hearing or speaking disability. In such cases, consideration <br />should be given, safety permitting, to handcuffing to the front in order to allow the <br />person to sign or write notes. <br />• Whether the person has any other apparent disability. <br />301.3.1 RESTRAINT OF DETAINEES <br />Situations may arise where it may be reasonable to restrain an individual who may, after brief <br />investigation, be released without arrest. Unless arrested, the use of restraints on detainees should <br />continue only for as long as is reasonably necessary to assure the safety of officers and others. <br />When deciding whether to remove restraints from a detainee, officers should continuously weigh <br />the safety interests at hand against the continuing intrusion upon the detainee. <br />301.3.2 RESTRAINT OF PREGNANT PERSONS <br />Persons who are known to be pregnant should be restrained in the least restrictive manner that <br />is effective for officer safety. Leg irons, waist chains, or handcuffs behind the body should not be <br />used unless the officer has a reasonable suspicion that the person may resist, attempt escape, <br />injure self or others, or damage property. <br />Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2020/04/12, All Rights Reserved. Handcuffing and Restraints- 36 <br />Published with permission by New Brighton Department of <br />Public Safety <br />