Restraints - You May Need Them

J.M. left a comment on regarding handcuffs, which to me are a much better restraint method than flex cuffs, duct tape, rope or anything else.  Anyway J.M. says “These seem to be quite strong, but the ones I got were slightly bent right out of the package, and one cuff didn't close too smoothly. Seems like poor quality control. Worse, I think ASP missed the whole point of hinged/rigid cuffs - with the wide availability of universal cuff keys, having the keyholes faced away from the hands is a great aid to security, but with these, the double-sided keyways allow anyone who's concealed a key to remove them. The removable locking mechanism might allow modification.”

UrbanMan replies: We have been using cuffs and other restraint devices for several decades now so we have an opinion on what works and what doesn’t.  No cuffs are pick proof.  But you will get what you pay for. 

The ASP cuffs are too easy to pick or shim.  As well as can be pried apart.  They are in fact, part plastic and do have handcuff key holes on both sides.        

The Schrade cuffs are terrible.  Bad finish and fit.  Another brand I don't recommend are Hiatts.  However, I have some (older) Peerless cuffs and they are serviceable.  

The Smith and Wesson Cuff are quality cuffs but they too can be picked or shimmed.

Flex cuffs are designed for one time use.  I would not re-use them as it makes the teeth catch weak.  Besides, flex cuffs are inherantly weak, all it takes is for the restrained person to notch the plastic just a little bit and the flex cuffs (or field expedient) wire tires can be leveraged and broken. 

Duct tape?  You gotta be kidding me.  A person can get out of duct tape in seconds, unless you use a whole roll of tape to restrain them.  
 
The idea when you detain people, such as people you find on your property after SHTF, is to have the ability to restrain them, and again handcuffs are best,...... AND have a armed guard at a appropriate safe distance.   You may have to hood or blindfold these temporary prisoners if they will see too much of your lay out, defensive positions and measures, supplies, personnel strength, etc., where you detain them. 

I have read forums where Survival Preppers are declaring they will be shooting trespassers or worse yet, any shoot simple stragglers who approach their Base Camp, be it a urban home or a remote farm.  Killing people ain't as easy as some arm chair operators think  Outright murder has got to much harder not to mention immoral.  Everybody has it in them to kill, especially when their family or their own life is threatened, however murdering people outright to keep from having to feed them and sending them on their way, just ain't right.  

My Survival team has talked about this and to be sure we have some people in the group more hard line than others, but murdering people ain't even on the table for us.  Hence the need to restrain people until you can turn them over to authorities, or in the absence of authorities you can figure out what conditions you will use to let them go.        

Handcuffs L to R: Smith and Wesson Model M300 Hinged – Recommended; Schrade Professional – NOT Recommended; Smith and Wesson Model 1 Chain – Recommended; and, ASP Model 250 Hinged – NOT Recommended. Not shown, but recommended – Smith and Wesson Model 100 – chain which are smaller than the S&W Model 1 but have a double lock mechanism.

Urban Survival Planning - Handling Prisoners

The possibility exists the sometime after a collapse that you or your survival group may have to handle prisoners. Especially in an Urban Survival Environment, the chances of you detaining people intending on stealing from you or killing you for your supplies is very high due to the population density and the percentage of criminal elements in urban areas.

Your Urban Survival Plan should have method planned on dealing with prisoners or people you detain. Where you will keep them. How they will be secured. How you plan on releasing them or otherwise getting the burden of controlling these prisoners off your hands. There may be a case where you need to restrain someone who claims to be someone until you can verify their claims or what we call "bonafides".

You may also be required to safely restrain a member of your Urban Survival Group if they "go nuts" during what has got to be the exceptionally trying times after a collapse.

The U.S. Army's method for Prisoner Handling: Search, Segregate, Silence, Speed and Safeguard. Are a good starting point to develop you and your Urban Survival Group's operating procedure for handling detainees or prisoners.

Before the 5 "S's" are implemented, the subjects must be restrained. Do not ever search an non-restrained prisoner. Other than field expedient wire ties, rope, cable or chain, the best way to restrain someone is with Commercial Flex Cuffs or Handcuffs. You must buy quality items here. I prefer Smith & Wesson cuffs - carried them for years without any problems. The cuffs must be double locking to be shim proof.

ASP-USA makes good flex cuffs, the version shown in the picture are probably the best for novice users and provide good restraint on prisoners.

Search . Search for weapons head to toe. Search with one person while another observes ready to intercede if a problem occurs. Search the clothing items, footwear, hair,....everywhere. Almost made a Doctor Suess Rhyme.

Segregate. This means to separate the prisoners. This is so you can interview/interrogate each one without the group of prisoners getting their story straight.

Silence. Do not allow the prisoners to talk to each other. Do not allow for members of your Urban Survival Group to talk to the prisoners. Well trained people can elicit critical and sensitive information from your people.

Speed. Refers to the military's priority on "speeding" the prisoners to a detention facility for the safety for all and the exploitation of any information the prisoners may have. Speed to your Urban Survival Group may mean speeding these prisoners to be a better or secure location so that chances of escape or damage to your group is lessened.

Safeguard. Safeguard means keeping the prisoners safe - you have a morale obligation to do so, however it also means safeguarding information about your Urban Survival Group, Survival Gear and Equipment you have on hand, how your defenses are arrayed, etc.

The scope of this post is not to develop a protocol for handling prisoners after this. As far as how they are released or turned over to competent authority is up to you. Our suggestion is to wargame the options and choose the one with the least amount risk to your Urban Survival Group.