why do police use the phrase"our hands are tied"?

Question

surly not by their cuffs!! or is it they dont care? its not them with the problem! or is it?

Answer 1

Their hands are tied by the LAW. You know, that pesky encumberance than prevents crime?

Answer 2

It's because the law had tied their hands because we have the presumption of innocence in this country, also factoring that a person has come up to but not quite breaking the law there really isn't anything the police can do.

Answer 3

It just means that there is nothing they can do about the situation. They are helpless. Probably because they are bound by certain laws and regulations that come with their jobs.

It would kinda be like if a grocery store manager was approached by a poor person who wanted food for free. The manager is not allowed to give away free food because his job is to sell it, so he might reply that "his hands are tied."

Answer 4

Basicly they are into sado-masicism. Most cops are sadist, but when they say "my hands are tied'" they are just using a comparasion to their highly evolved sado-masicist ways. Like a baseball player saying "bottom of the ninth, strike three".

Actually cops are mostly corrupt and it's just a way of getting out of doing anything to help you. Most are mean spirited assh*les.

Answer 5

I don't know, why do they always say, "Myself and two other officers ..." instead of saying, "Two officers and I ..." It's cop jargon.