What are the Federal and State laws on handcuffing citizens?

Federal Laws on handcuffing citizens are governed by the Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals in the Second and Eighth Circuits. According to the FBI legal digest

[1], the use of handcuffs may constitute custody.

However, the use of handcuffs must be tempered by the officer's judgment and discretion and cannot be predetermined by police department policies [3]. If a deputy sheriff's actions in using handcuffs result in violations of established law, it could be found to be unjustified [2].

Note: The above information only pertains to law enforcement officials. It is illegal for civilians to carry handcuffs in most states, including Alaska unless they are making a warrantless arrest for a felony. The legality of citizen arrest varies widely by state and is limited to crimes that occur in their presence [3].

State Laws

Our investigations have had difficulty finding which state has the most restrictive laws on this matter. However, some of the sources have provided general information on the use of handcuffs by law enforcement officers.

The FBI has stated that "handcuffing, among other factors, can establish custody for the purposes of Miranda even when an official arrest has not been made". The use of physical force and handcuffing by law enforcement must be "tempered by the officer's judgment and discretion" and must not be predetermined by police department policies [1].