Handcuffs are for all ages, but...

From the Joplin Globe:

* The decision to fire a former Joplin police officer accused of recurrent abuse of power, including his role in the handcuffing and arrest of an 11-year-old, has been upheld by the city’s personnel board.

* Charles Ward, who was fired from the police force in November, had appealed the city’s decision and contended he was fired because City Manager Mark Rohr wanted to retaliate for the “public relations nightmare” created by the handcuffing of an 11-year-old boy at an elementary school.

Kansas City police have no age restriction for use of handcuffs - but police have to have a reason, said KCPD Capt. Rich Lockhart.

"Handcuffing is viewed as a use of force", he said. "If you’re going to handcuff somebody, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re under arrest, but you need to be able to articulate why you did it. If you’re handcuffing people just to handcuff ‘em, there could be an issue there. You’ve got to have a reason to do it.

"You’re trying to control somebody with the handcuffs. If you are I are talking, and you’re not giving me any reason to believe you’re being uncooperative...and all of a sudden I start trying to handcuff you, we might have an issue there with improper use of handcuffs. But let’s say you’re maybe not giving me all the correct information, you’re lying to me, I’m getting a sense from you you’re not cooperating completely, I may handcuff you for my own safety. In that sense, it’s preventive."