As a former member of the New Orleans PD Mardi Gras Prisoner Transport Detail (paddy wagons ) I want to share a valuable lesson my brother and sister officers have learned about flex-type restraints.
After securing your prisoner’s hands, search the person carefully for matches and lighters and relieve them of these items before securing them in the back of your unit. We found out several times that these restraints can be burned enough to allow the prisoner to break the cuffs apart, freeing their hands. In doing so, they can also cause serious burns to themselves. Stay safe!