I had the same experience as beth..I was handcuffed behind the back so tight by the police that my fingers?

Question

went numb..but the asshole cop would not loosen the...plus the seat belt made the cuffs cut in.

Have any of you other women experienced this, or ours isolated cases of asshole cops.

If any other women experienced this unjust treatment let me know.

Answer 1

Frankly, your assessment of the arresting officer is pretty much your biased perspective of the person. However, I don't want to get into that debate, nor do I want to speculate as to the circumstances of your arrest.

Having handcuffs on the wrist does exert pressure onto certain nerves and blood vessels that lie near the surface of the wrist itself. If the pressure is sufficient, a sensation of numbness will occur as the nerve is unable to properly relay information to the brain. It's sort of like a kink in a garden hose. However, if the pressure is removed after a short time, say an hour or two, the nerve reverts back to its functional self. Since handcuffs are defined to be short-term restraints, this would be perfectly acceptable. It's not pleasant, but it's not abuse either.

Unfortunately, given that women's hands tend to be smaller, I can see why the handcuffs would need to be applied tightly. Otherwise, the probability of being able to pull a hand free increases. I will say that the handcuffs should be double-locked so that the jaw of the cuff is unable to move.

The standard procedure for arrest dictates that a prisoner be handcuffed behind the back. If they were handcuffed in front, there would still be the risk of the prisoner being dangerous, especially since the handcuffs themselves could be used as a weapon. With the wrists secured behind the back, freedom of motion is severely reduced, making the arrest safer for the officers and ultimately for the prisoner.

It is unfortunate that the handcuffs cut into your wrists. That might indicate that the wrists were not in the cuffs properly. I would suspect that is explainable if you were trying to adjust your wrist position, but that's only one possibility.

In short, it looks like the circumstances of your arrest were more or less normal. However, unless you have permenant damage to your wrist and hands, the actions of the arresting officer seem to have been proper.

Answer 2

People get arrested without cause all the time....they can be with the wrong people, in the wrong place...and it often isn't sorted out until later.

Unfortunately, some cops are very unconcerned with the welfare of the people they've arrested, even though they are responsible for ther safety and health of those in their custody.

Document any physical damage as well as you can: photos, ER doctors' statements, etc. Then check it out with a lawyer. Most give you a free consultation, and some will not want money unless they win the case. If the damage is really bad, call the local chapter of the ACLU. They may be able to help you or tell you who can. File a complaint with the police headquarters, and also with your state Attorney General.

If the physical eveidence is really overwhelming, try the local media. Call tv stations and newspapers. They love this stuff, and the public pressure could make the police actually pay attention.

Answer 3

I've never been arrested myself but I have a friend (female) who had the same experience as you a couple of years ago. Days later her arms and hands were still somewhat numb and she went to her doctor. I don't remember what the doctor said.This was in Connecticut. Perhaps people should share their location, obviously without revealing their home address, to make this more scientific. Perhaps you'll see a geographic pattern.

And to those who answered you with something along the lines of, "Don't get arrested," I say, "There but for the grace of God go you or I." In other words, it can happen to anyone. So stop being so smug and self-righteous. Besides, even if you are arrested for good reason, that is not an excuse for the police to physically injure someone who is not resisting arrest. Those of you who answered so smugly - I truly hope if you ever are arrested, you receive better treatment than you advocated for the writer of this question.

Recently, my daughter was beat up by her boyfriend. She was injured, he was not. She had a black eye and a broken hand. But BOTH OF THEM WERE ARRESTED. In Connecticut, where we live, unless the cop, or the equivalent of a van full of nuns, sees the assault, both parties are arrested. Any of you smug people who could go along with that - you really have a problem.

Answer 4

Okay,okay talk about geting emotional!!My Husband was a police officer and let me tell you he wasn't an #$@*** he let more people go for speeding and would only arrest people if by law he had to.He was more into helping people resolve their conflicts peacefully.Honestly if you were arrested then more than likely yes you had it coming.And yes they go on tight so you can't get the cuffs off and hurt the officer and yes if he forgets to lock the cuffs they will tighten on ou especially if your struggling..where you?I for one wouldn't be able to be a cop since beating the crap out of stupid people is illegal.My husband is my Hero for doing the job until some frigging drunk decided to try and get an officers gun and when my husband went and arrested him he fought like mad and unfortunately was injured permanetly and is unable to be an officer.

Answer 5

Sorry but this answer is to all of the ones who said don't do anything wrong and you won't get arrested - May you see the other side of the fence- ASHE!
In our society you are suppose to be innocent until PROVEN quilty. But that is not the way it is and **** happens - every day. This person has a legit question so all of you point hounds - back off.
Question asker- best of luck to you, I don't have a comment on your question and I apologize that I took up your space, I just got emotional at some of the responses.

Answer 6

I've never been arrested, but those I know who have all said those cuffs were mighty tight. There are people capable of slipping out of cuffs. Police have to be concerned with their own safety. People are usually arrested for committing an unjust act, therefore "unjustly" tight cuffs are justified.

Answer 7

It's not just women. Too often unprofessional cops take pleasure in being cruel. People need to realize that arrest does not mean that the person is guilty of any crime, and that cops are not judges.

This kind of behavior makes good professional cops look bad as well. It should not be tolerated, but it seems to be.

Answer 8

If you dont get arrested you probably wont have that problem.

Women, on average, tend to be more flexable and much smaller then men. The cuffs often go on tighter because we're able to squirm out of them and pose a threat to ourselves or the officers.

Answer 9

it's not unjust treatment. unjust treatment would be cuffing a man and making him sit in the patrol car and then hauling him off to jail and letting you girls go free because of your gender. you do the crime you have to pay for it... quit making us women look like whiney bitches.. if someone came on yahoo answers and asked "why do we let women join the army?" you guys would probably be the FIRST to jump down their throat about being sexist, yet you turn it around when it's punishment?? LAME

also theres nothing that can be done from bruising due to handcuffs.. they're supposed to go on tight and that's what you get for breaking the law.

Answer 10

To all of you who say, "don't get arrested": Have you not noticed that the USA has become a police state and you don't have to do something illegal to be arrested and even "disappeared" anymore?

You don't even have to do anything except be in the wrong place at the wrong time for them to use you as a demonstration of their power which they use as a deterrent to others who would stand up for what used to be seen as constitutional rights and freedoms.