History of the Handcuff

 

By Kristy McCaffrey

The term “handcuff” was derived from the term “handcop.” In the late 1800’s, a common slang expression for the police was “copper.” It came from “cop,” an ancient Anglo-Saxon term which meant to catch (cop) something. Handcop described a mechanical device that “catches the hands” and this eventually morphed into the term we use today—handcuff.

References to hand restraints can be found as far back as the 4^th Century BC when conquering Greek soldiers found vast numbers of them in wagons pulled by Carthaginian armies. Their use was to control and enslave prisoners of war.

Bango handcuffs

The first big manufacturer was the Hiatt Handcuff Company, founded in 1780, although more variety in the designs didn’t begin until 1850. Until that time, only two types were in use in England. Bango handcuffs didn’t allow prisoners any movement. They were adjustable and were effective on violent prisoners. The Flexible handcuff allowed prisoners to eat and perform other necessities but they took longer to size and apply, and they came in many different sizes to accommodate wrist thicknesses.

After 1850 there was a drive to invent a more universal handcuff—one that was secure, flexible and adjustable.

The Snap brand was the most popular in Europe and America, consisting of two loops, the smaller of which would snap over the suspect’s wrists while a larger loop was held by the officer.

 

Twister handcuffs

The Twister was popular because it was compact and could easily be carried by uniformed officers as well as detectives. It consisted of a chain connected to matching hand grips at both ends and was wrapped around a suspect’s wrist, with the officer holding the handles. Any struggling meant excruciating pain and the risk of breaking a wrist or arm. It was eventually banned in Britain since it contributed to police brutality.

 

Tower detective handcuffs

The next innovation was designed by Americans. John J. Tower produced a popular version of adjustable handcuffs that remained in use for over 80 years. Tower realized that single lock models had a weakness—a determined prisoner could escape them. Tower solved the problem with a “double lock” handcuff, which had a more sophisticated lock mechanism. However, these were also heavy. In 1887, Tower patented a new light-weight handcuff but these were easy from which to escape. This version was marketed as Tower detective handcuffs and are sometimes referred to as the Pinkerton model since it was supposedly used by the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

Modern handcuffs haven’t changed much in the last 100 years. Most have adopted the use of a universal key so officers can unlock cuffs on another officer’s prisoner, but this also means there’s a greater chance the prisoner could have his own key.

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Kate Ryan is on her first assignment as a Pinkerton agent—as fellow agent Henry Maguire's "wife."