Upon arresting a suspect, the police often uses handcuffs to put the subject in control. Using this device properly is vitalbecause it will not only protect nearby officers but also make it difficult for the suspect to escape. Nevertheless, as aretired policeman from Chicago Police Department points out, the quality of handcuffing instructions in local policedepartments and training academies__ 46__  not consistent. As a result, some cadets and officers do not know aneffective way to apply handcuffs or why this handcuffing method is so effective.

According to the retiree, effective handcuffing includes the following procedures. First, police officers should handcuffthe subject behind the back __47__ cuffing in front is required for a legitimate cause, such as a transport. Next,officers should cuff the subject’s palms facing outward and place the cuffs on the subject’s wrists. In this way, theofficers can__48__ the subject’s hand dexterity. Humans can usually use their hands in a coordinated manner whentheir palms face each other. Turning them outward greatly reduces that ability. Furthermore, the positioning of the handsand__49__ of the cuffs can limit the subject’s access to the keyways of the cuffs. With palms facing out and cuffs onthe wrists, the subject can__50__ get their fingers near the locking mechanism.