When is it ok...or is it ok.....

[ExSDSO]

to pepper spray a cuffed suspect in the back of your patrol vehicle. Just asking because I was watching Alaskan State Troopers (Awesome show by the way), when a Trooper arrested this guy who was Deuced who crashed his ATV. Anyway the trooper went to place him in the back when he began to kick and resist being placed into the car.

....maybe I should ask this in the Alaska forum, but just wanted to see if anyone has been through a similar situation.....

How bout tasing a cuffed suspect? I would think no to tasing and spraying anyone cuffed up.

[DAL]

What if the suspect is kicking you? Why shouldn't you use pepper spray or a Taser?

[ExSDSO]

I dont know....imagine being caught on video spraying/tasing/batoning a cuffed suspect... I dont think it would look good...

As far as use of force goes....would that be feasible if the suspect was cuffed? If it is, shoot I am all for pain compliance or using the amount of force necessary to gain control.

[DAL]

Beating him doesn't look good, either, and it can cause worse injuries to him and you. A handcuffed suspect kicked my partner in the balls once. The suspect wound up with a broken leg and a head injury from when he fell down.

[ExSDSO]

Beating him doesn't look good, either, and it can cause worse injuries to him and you. A handcuffed suspect kicked my partner in the balls once. The suspect wound up with a broken leg and a head injury from when he fell down.

HAHAHAHHA! LOL literally laughed out loud when I read this.

[SEAL6770]

Disregard post.

[Dago Star]

I tazed a handcuffed guy a few months ago...he was violently kicking and this was the only way to bring him under control until backup units arrived. Just because somebody is handcuffed does not mean they are under control. I also don't see a problem with blasting somebody in the back of a patrol car if need be depending on the situation.

[pulicords]

I was a member of a POST committee that established OC use and training guidelines (in the early 1990's) when DOJ first allowed agencies to use pepper spray on a provisional basis. This specific issue came up when POST asked some of the committee members to produce a training video. After much discussion, our consensus was that OC could be justifiably used against resistant, handcuffed, suspects if they had the ability to injure officers or themselves (ie: by kicking). While some departments' policies might differ, the overwhelming opinion among those involved, was that the use of OC presented less risk of physical injury to the officer(s) and the suspect than overcoming resistance through the use of physical force alone. We specifically included in our training video (later distributed to departments throughout the state by the CA Dept. of Justice/POST) a scenario involving a combative, handcuffed suspect being sprayed while in the backseat of a police vehicle.

Although some viewed this part of our video as "controversial", most agencies recognized that handcuffs alone do not eliminate threats posed by combative suspects and the use of OC under such circumstances can be a reasonable response. Many departments (mine included) specifically addressed these situations within their use of force guidelines, so that officers could utilize OC within policy in cases like this.

[CAleo]

I dont know....imagine being caught on video spraying/tasing/batoning a cuffed suspect... I dont think it would look good...

As far as use of force goes....would that be feasible if the suspect was cuffed? If it is, shoot I am all for pain compliance or using the amount of force necessary to gain control.

When it comes to you as an officer being attacked you have to do what you have to do to get the suspect to comply, whether handcuffed or not. A lot of this job involves doing things that don't look good on video.

Good question though, an officer that ends up doing that to a suspect just needs to articulate why he/she did it in his/her report, so there is no question in anyone’s mind.

[nobodyjr]

I've probably sprayed a dozen cuffed people in the back of my car. If they are kicking the car, bashing their head, or spitting at me then we can spray. We have pretty liberal policies on spray. Can't taze anyone handcuffed unless it's life and death though. The OC is just as much for making them stop so they don't hurt themselves as much it as to make them not hurt you.

I saw the Alaska State Troopers video and the trooper did a good job. I was surprised that was the first time he had ever sprayed anyone.

[mdrdep]

I've both sprayed and tased handcuffed guys in the back seat. My dept and I were both good with it.

Your mileage may vary dept to dept

[mustanginky]

guy just got tazed while handcuffed in the back of one of our vehicles the other day. he was acting a damn fool and trying to slip his cuffs around the front of his body. he managed to get one leg through and was kicking at a sheriff deputy when he pulled out his x26 and stun drived his thigh. it gained compliance. i suppose i could have sprayed him as i had my spray and no x26.