Corrections Community

Our department looks badly on the pulling of hair. It is done from time to time to get initial control of the head that the subj is moving around. But, once we have control of the head their hair is released. We do use pepper spray on hand cuffed people that are out of control. We even taser out of control hand cuffed subj's, if the situation justifys it. If the reports are written following a use of force continuum it should be acceptable. At your department it must be not. As a Defensive Tactics Instructor there are ways of controlling the head and the violent subj, using pressure points, and joint locks to get the subj to comply with orders no matter how violent the subj is. Wrist locks work great no matter how violent the subj is when their palm touches their forearm, oh yah it works. Again a lot of it is in the report writing. For us we have to be careful and follow policy/procedure to the "T" as our jail is full of audio/video cameras and our command love to sit and watch they video from any use of force incident to try and get us doing something wrong. I had a subj spit on me hitting me in the face shoulder, side, and back. I gave the subj a head slap to start to get him under control to restrain him. Our Captain wanted to give me a month off with out pay for it. I was told by our Head DT Instructor that the way I wrote my report he was able to make the complaint go away. The inmate did not complain he plead guilty to the assault on a custodial officer and got 2 years in the big house. Some administrators forget what it was like to work in the jail or on the street and believe that once some one is hand cuffed they are in complete control. Good Luck

Handcuffed individuals are not under complete control my any means. The administrators who terminated those officers are wrong to do so and jeopardize the safety of other officers by sending a message to the inmates that once cuffed, they can do anything they want without getting sprayed.

First of all, handcuffing an inmate does not mean that the inmate is secured. The use of non-lethal weapons are given to officers to protect themselves and reduce injuries. I hate to second guess, but if the inmate was on his feet, and refused direct orders, then the use of chemical agents is justified if used within the confines of the policy. Holding the inmate by his hair is not excessive force. Final Determination: The moment the inmate went to his feet and refused orders, force was justified.

Inmates that are restrained by hand cuffs are in no way completely controlled and can represent a significant danger to staff. My agency does not allow the use of chemical agents on restrained inmates, however the use of control holds, pressure points and pain compliance are effective tools that are viewed as acceptable means of gaining compliance with a combative inmate. I would not agree with the termination of the officer who utilized the chemical agent, rather i would recommend training in the use of alternative means of compliance. I would look at the training that was supplied by the agency in question. An officer can only apply those techniques that they have been trained in and in which that training has been refreshed on a regular basis. inmate compliance techniques are perishable skills which must be refreshed on a regular basis or the agency it's self can be deemed neglegent in training of the officer.

In our institutions (Idaho), the inmate would be taken to either a specific secure holding cell, "the hole", or somewhere else, even a secure shower, before his property was dealt with. I would think trying to keep an inmate, "controlled" for any amount of time on an open tier would be dangerous for everyone. I would think that is why the officers would be disciplined. If there were other ways to use his movement to get him out and into a secure cell, would be better then trying to get him to "sit there". crowdog

Okay, so the knucklehead was extracted due to violent behavior, and nobody had their hands on him? He probably jumped because an officer was talking trash... I'd call it excessive -- it should never have gotten to the point where PS was needed. As soon as he jumped up he should have been put on the floor and kept there.

I totally agree with you.  I have never worked in corrections, but you never know if they have a mental imparment, and they are going to go off. A certain word or sound could trigger a mecanaism in his/her brain and the Officers could get hurt.  Even with being there for a while if an inmate is not dealing with being incarcerated very well, that can trigger it also.

joycedlee