Who can carry Handcuffs other than Police?

Third Opinion

Third Opinion

Third Opinion

Soldato
Joined
3 Jun 2005
Posts
5,365
Location
West Sussex
Nothing kinky and I don't want to carry them myself.

What it is a bloke keeps coming in and out of the block of flats next to me. Some of the elderly residents are getting a bit worried as he appears quite intimidating.

He is definitely not a Policeman in my mind. He wears a white shirt and trousers with some of ID card on a strap around his neck. However he has a set of handcuffs hanging from his belt. He drives quite a battered old Mondeo and carries a clipboard.

My neighbour challenged him a few minutes ago as he was hammering on the communal door. My neighbour asked if he could help him and what was all the disturbance was about and he was told to go away and mind his own business.

I was thinking he may be some kind of bailiff but I have never heard of them carrying handcuffs before.

I know it is none of my business just the elderly folk are getting a bit scared.
 
Anyone can legally carry cuffs, it all comes down to how they're used and if you can justify their use as to whether you get locked up or not.
 
This is a quote from Yahoo answers:

They are considered an aggravating factor if used whilst committing burglary
If stop-searched you are likely to be asked some very detailed questions and could be arrested on suspicion of having an offensive weapon if you couldn't come up with a damn good excuse
If used as part of your Door security duties then you and the company you work for could be civilly sued if they were applied wrongly or caused injury
You can use reasonable force to detain someone for an indictable offence until a constable arrives. Reasonable force could involve handcuffing the subject
Your employer would need to show you had been through an accredited programme in their use under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, and that training was maintained.
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Not bothering to check if all reasons are legit, but from a common sense point of view they look to be.
 
Sounds very much like some kind of debt recovery agent. Not one of the decent ones, either.
Most legitimate agents going to people's doors, with nothing to hide, will not carry cuffs themselves, but will be accompanied by cops. The most you'll see on such people is a stab-vest.
Then again, most legitimate agents will quite readily explain who they are, rather than resorting to expletive dismissals.
 
ttaskmaster said:
Sounds very much like some kind of debt recovery agent. Not one of the decent ones, either.
Most legitimate agents going to people's doors, with nothing to hide, will not carry cuffs themselves, but will be accompanied by cops. The most you'll see on such people is a stab-vest.
Then again, most legitimate agents will quite readily explain who they are, rather than resorting to expletive dismissals.
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That is what my suspicion is.

My neighbour and I are going to challenge him tomorrow. He of course has the right to carry out his line of work, however he is terrifying some of the elderly residents (many in their 80's) and his language is disgusting as he shouts down the intercom.
 
Third Opinion said:
That is what my suspicion is.

My neighbour and I are going to challenge him tomorrow. He of course has the right to carry out his line of work, however he is terrifying some of the elderly residents (many in their 80's) and his language is disgusting as he shouts down the intercom.
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Get the elderly residents to phone 101 and say there is an intimidating man walking around with handcuffs swearing at everyone and they are scared to leave their home.

If he is being a **** he deserves a chat from police.
 
Phantom Shadow said:
Get the elderly residents to phone 101 and say there is an intimidating man walking around with handcuffs swearing at everyone and they are scared to leave their home.

If he is being a **** he deserves a chat from police.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a reasonable plan to me.
 
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