An Off-The-Cuff Remark

(My high school has an “Intro to Criminal Law” class as an elective, and I take it due to my interest in a career. One day, an officer comes in to discuss arresting procedure, and such, several kids including myself volunteer to be handcuffed to show proper and improper technique. I’m very petite.)

Officer: “Now then—” *after removing cuffs from a guy who got arrested with his hands in front of him* “As he has shown, you never arrest a suspect with their hands in front. It is too much of a risk for the officers. Now I’ll show the proper technique. [My Name], come up— Wow, you’ve got small wrists, but handcuffs are designed to be adjustable… just so.”

(She cuffs me behind my back, and she turns to the rest of the class to discuss this. As she does so, I notice, even on the smallest setting, the cuffs aren’t at all snug, so I experiment, and discover by tucking my thumb just so, I am able to slip one hand out, and as I’m working on the other hand, the rest of the class starts to notice I am doing something behind my back, and starts to giggle and whisper. The officer turns around.)

Officer: “[My Name], what are you doing?”

Me: *sheepishly waves with my free hand* “Hi?”

Officer: *laughs, covering her face* “And she demonstrated the other thing to keep in mind; don’t take your eyes off of the perp.”