Getting out of handcuffs?

[FrostedWoods]

This is such a bizarre thing to write about but hear me out!

Had a weird situation with the police last night. Won't fully go into it but they mistakenly thought there was a criminal in my house and I was arrested then unarrested when they realised their mistake. I was put into handcuffs. I have hypermobility. And I think due to this I could get out of the cuffs pretty easily. Has anyone else experienced this?

I was so suprised at how easy they are to get out of. Do they have any kind of back up if they really need to keep someone secure? Just keep thinking about it! 😄

As far as I know static cuffs can be used to handcuff to the front if you are compliant. Chain link definitely have to be to the back.
Body cuffs can be used instead to handcuff where hyper mobility issues etc.

When you say you were arrested, then de-arrested, what was it for?

It's a risk assessment as to how you cuff someone. Forward facing suggests she wasn't assessed as high risk.

However I'm also hypermobile and an ex copper, and I was used in training sessions as a guinea pig to demonstrate how to manage someone with hypermobility. I always ended up bruised because compliance is harder!

I don't know the answer to either! I have never had experience with the police before. The one going round the house seemed pretty incompetent.

I got handcuffed when I was a teenager, I don't have hypermobility but I got out of the cuffs in seconds. I kept them on to be polite.
It wasn't in the UK, and it was years ago, I'm sure they have better ones now.

I think it was all the adrenaline and not liking being handcuffed and it hurting - I wasn't really thinking straight. Just instinct to get them off.

I think perhaps you should be making a formal complaint regarding general incompetence.

Well you can tick "learn a new skill" off your list of resolutions OP!

That must have been very unsettling. I hope you're all OK.

Maybe it's another case of things being tested from a man's pov - I think car safety features are all designed around a man's frame. Could explain it.

Ah, I see! They obviously were going easy on me and not doing them properly tight.

Oh don't start another anxiety! 😂 God knows who they were or what was going on! 😂

I did think maybe the police were just bored! 😂

Yes. They start with minimum use of restraint. If you had started struggling then they would up that.
You would have been cuffed with your hands in front of top of each other. If you were a higher risk or known to be violent or had attempted to escape before you would have been cuffed behind your back (which is a lot more uncomfortable)
If you became a risk the cuffs can go tighter. If you struggled further or made them think you were going to attempt to escape then they would take you down to the floor & restrain you in both hand cuffs & leg restraints.
Best to co - operate or FAFO as they say

I don't know! I know that sounds ridiculous but I don't. It was all so stressful and upsetting it's all a bitter of a blur.

I had to just stand there in the end with them on knowing ai could get out of them at any time - it was so weird. I just wanted to get to my k7ds but they wouldn't let me!

Looking at all those traffic arrest videos from the US and yes people seem to be able to get out of them pretty easily, even when behind their backs.

Haha - yes! How to escape handcuffs ✔️
It was. We're ok, tried to have a laugh with the kids about it.

Yes, another good point. I may have had an advantage being a woman!

So they never said @FrostedWoods you are under arrest for…… you have the right to…
is that sounding right @NeedForSpeedyGonzales ?

I would be inclined to think that they were not, in fact real police. I would absolutely contact 101, explain what happened and ask them to confirm it was a geniune police call. There are too many things which don't add up.

Could be a prank, could have been scoping ahead of a burglary, or any number of other not very honest reasons.

Thanks for the explanation! Luckily it went no further than front cuffed! But I can rest assured they are able to restrain actual criminals. What does FAFO mean? I would have cooperated more if they had been a bit more reasonable, polite and calm.

I'll have to have a look!

They did, but I honestly can't remember what was said. I was in shock!

When I was a teenager and had a summer job, a policeman called in at the shop to introduce himself as he was newly covering the village. My supervisor (mother of one of my classmates) asked him to show her how his handcuffs worked. He put them on himself obligingly, both wrists, and then couldn't get out of them or explain to us how to let him out. He had to call for backup from the next town to release him (the officer who did so was crying with laughter, as you can imagine).
So I've always assumed they are quite difficult to get off.

I have to help train the police sometimes and because of that we do lots of role plays where I have to scream in their face or act like I’m a real danger because I’m out of my head on drugs and running towards them with a weapon. So I get put into handcuffs quite often.

I can’t believe how bloody uncomfortable they are! In fact I have to calm myself otherwise I feel really panicked.

So, you weren't the only one in the house but they only arrested you? Why? Do you resemble some mugshot or something?

They didn't arrest you then, surely? They tell you what you're being arrested for.