VIDEO: Handcuffing with Hands On the Head

Do you handcuff your subject in the same position you used to cover or search him?

Effective police tactics not only give the officer the advantage; they put the suspect in a position of disadvantage. This is crucial when you're "up close and personal" with a suspect who may be planning a counterattack.

Handcuffing a suspect after asking him to place his hands on top of his head may look good on cop shows, but it puts you at greater risk. This still widely used tactic may be effective to cover a suspect, but police combat trainer Lt. Kevin Dillon says it should be avoided for pat-downs and handcuffing.

In his latest video, Lt. Dillon shows you why you should consider avoiding this tactic. The video, which you can view by clicking on the above photo, will help you limit possible counterattacks from a suspect in the "hands on head" position.

"Unfortunately sometimes we're using the same positions to handcuff that we use to cover or search," Lt. Dillon explains. "This one offers very little advantage, when you are handcuffing and/or searching … When I want to pat them down or handcuff them, that's not the position I want them in."

In the video, Lt. Dillon also explains a preferable handcuffing position, and shows you a specific way that you should position your subject's hands.

Enjoy the video. When you're done, head back to this page for links to additional videos from Lt. Dillon below.

Related:

How to Handcuff on a Wall

Integrated Baton Training (video)

Communications Skills (video)

Police Combat Tactics: Overview (video)