The closest big agency to me (Akron, Oh) used paddy wagons for prisoner transport nearly all the time
Cars without cages
Posted for a friend of mine who's retired from the road and now does a transportation detail with a county SO:
He sees a lot of cars - even ones used for patrol - without cages. Anyone have a clue why this would be done, considering the terrible officer safety ramifications?
He sees a lot of cars - even ones used for patrol - without cages. Anyone have a clue why this would be done, considering the terrible officer safety ramifications?
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Thats not even reasonable. Stupid even.About half of our patrol units don't have cages. Budget reasons. Of course about half of our patrol guys never arrest anyone because they are lazy. The proactive guys have cages.
When I was a rookie, the chief deputy told me to get into his truck. No cage. We went to pick up a crazy guy who had threatened a federal judge. The chief deputy put the crazy guy in the back seat. I was instructed to sit in the back seat with the crazy guy and to keep my .45 pointed at the crazy guy's head until we get to the jail. No problems during transport.
Years ago I was in a 2 man unit with no cage and we did a transport to the hospital with a crazy subject on drugs. Well to say the least all three of us needed some medical attention by the time we got to our destination. After that incident cages were installed in all patrol units.All our patrol cars have full cages. Supervisor cars do not. K9 and detectives cars aren’t setup for transport either.
According to directives a two man unit can transport without a cage but I never allowed that to happen. I always called for a caged unit for any transport.
Why risk an issue.
Well, put my in the minority camp. At my first agency, I had a caged car, but only used it for going across State to the Academy. After the Academy, I was in my FTO’s assigned vehicles. Got fired from that agency, after six months. Started second agency two months later. No cages. I was told I could have one put in, if I wanted. I didn’t know either way, but figured I’d see what no cage was like.
I vastly prefer no cage.
I did a lot of interviews in my front seats. The recording quality was better and people are much more likely to talk to you. It’s natural, when you’re the only two people in the vehicle, sitting side by side. It’s not as natural to talk when you’re in the front talking to the guy in the back.
On traffic stops, I often requested the driver accompany me back to my vehicle. People say this isn’t safe, but I disagree.
I prefer to be able to see the person I’m dealing with. You can’t see what they’re doing, in the back seat.
Bad guys are most comfortable when they think they know what’s going on. For a lot of them, being put in the front seat threw them off.
Keep in mind I worked for a mostly rural agency and often with only one other LEO to cover an area of nearly 900 square miles. My experiences don’t mirror what most people have done and seen.
There were a few times I had a fight on the way to jail, but it only happened a couple of times. There were also a few times we called for the PD (they had cages in all of their vehicles) or a jail transport vehicle, but in 12 years, I only saw that maybe three times.
Plus, I was able to keep more gear, in the back seat. Since we were so often on our own, I carried a lot of extra stuff not seen in most cop cars.
There’s more, but you get the gist of it.
I vastly prefer no cage.
I did a lot of interviews in my front seats. The recording quality was better and people are much more likely to talk to you. It’s natural, when you’re the only two people in the vehicle, sitting side by side. It’s not as natural to talk when you’re in the front talking to the guy in the back.
On traffic stops, I often requested the driver accompany me back to my vehicle. People say this isn’t safe, but I disagree.
I prefer to be able to see the person I’m dealing with. You can’t see what they’re doing, in the back seat.
Bad guys are most comfortable when they think they know what’s going on. For a lot of them, being put in the front seat threw them off.
Keep in mind I worked for a mostly rural agency and often with only one other LEO to cover an area of nearly 900 square miles. My experiences don’t mirror what most people have done and seen.
There were a few times I had a fight on the way to jail, but it only happened a couple of times. There were also a few times we called for the PD (they had cages in all of their vehicles) or a jail transport vehicle, but in 12 years, I only saw that maybe three times.
Plus, I was able to keep more gear, in the back seat. Since we were so often on our own, I carried a lot of extra stuff not seen in most cop cars.
There’s more, but you get the gist of it.
All of ours had cages with detective and administrator units being the exception.
For the longest time the SO I work for didn't use cages, prisoners rode in the front passenger seat, in a period of four (4) days two different prisoners became uncooperative, the first one kicked out the windshield, the second (wife of first) kicked out the windshield and broke off the shift lever. Cages were ordered the next week.
Now all of our units have half cages, even the K9 unit.
Now all of our units have half cages, even the K9 unit.
old agency, supervisor cars do not have cages. tie up younger guys to transport for them (clean their mess).
None of our cars have cages. not a one of them. everyone rides up front. most, are drunks. it sucks ass.
I get absorbent pee pads from hospital every time I stop in. just in case.
I like not having a cage for day to day life. it really is just like driving a normal car. carpet. etc. doesn't feel like a "cop car."
but it really makes it difficult with aresstees sitting up front trying to do paperwork when it's "i have to pee" and "loosen my cuffs" and "**** you **** you **** you" and "whats taking so long" etc. anyone combative, I need to call county to transport for me. which I hate to do.
the no cages does seem to be a HP / trooper thing. at least in states where it's not full service agency (down south). I really doubt NJSP or NYSP who is out there doing the equivalent of our county deputy work down south (everything a city does, just in the county, like DV, shootings, etc) are running around without cages. it is wild the differences between northern and southern policing.
None of our cars have cages. not a one of them. everyone rides up front. most, are drunks. it sucks ass.
I get absorbent pee pads from hospital every time I stop in. just in case.
I like not having a cage for day to day life. it really is just like driving a normal car. carpet. etc. doesn't feel like a "cop car."
but it really makes it difficult with aresstees sitting up front trying to do paperwork when it's "i have to pee" and "loosen my cuffs" and "**** you **** you **** you" and "whats taking so long" etc. anyone combative, I need to call county to transport for me. which I hate to do.
the no cages does seem to be a HP / trooper thing. at least in states where it's not full service agency (down south). I really doubt NJSP or NYSP who is out there doing the equivalent of our county deputy work down south (everything a city does, just in the county, like DV, shootings, etc) are running around without cages. it is wild the differences between northern and southern policing.
Conn. State police is all no cage/ front seat transport. And many of the troops are very rural and the only law enforcement for many of the towns in the troop area. Gargbage bags on the seat, hobbles, spit hoods, and a locking seat belt keeps the wild ones contained.the no cages does seem to be a HP / trooper thing. at least in states where it's not full service agency (down south). I really doubt NJSP or NYSP who is out there doing the equivalent of our county deputy work down south (everything a city does, just in the county, like DV, shootings, etc) are running around without cages. it is wild the differences between northern and southern policing.
Very few cars at my department have cages. Average shift will have 16 cars on the road and only 3 at best will have cages. We also have a wagon that does all the transporting if possible. (Not every shift runs a wagon though)
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I don’t think I would want a baby, young child riding in a marked squad often. 3rd grade on fine. But younger nope. (Unless no option) placing a child in car seat, dealing with under 7 yr old just takes too much attention. But that’s just my thought.This…. With full off duty use here a cage would displace Junior from his car seat.
I hope this was 1970s. Just what was plan if you shot him? I assume he was cuffed behind? No seat belt?About half of our patrol units don't have cages. Budget reasons. Of course about half of our patrol guys never arrest anyone because they are lazy. The proactive guys have cages.
When I was a rookie, the chief deputy told me to get into his truck. No cage. We went to pick up a crazy guy who had threatened a federal judge. The chief deputy put the crazy guy in the back seat. I was instructed to sit in the back seat with the crazy guy and to keep my .45 pointed at the crazy guy's head until we get to the jail. No problems during transport.
Yes dumb stuff happened. I rode in back with cuffed prisoner. Small towns, mostly DUI. while I was armed. Only the Officer knew that. Even in larger city. The Officer knew me, asked if I minded riding in back with DUI. I am sure every dept that is forbidden.
I have always had a car with a cage. Lately I have had half cages and I like them because of the limited room for movement. They do make it hard to get those less cooperative people in the car that you used to be able to just go to the opposite door and "Pull" through.
That’s when you smile and say “look, we can either do this the easy way, or MY way.”I have always had a car with a cage. Lately I have had half cages and I like them because of the limited room for movement. They do make it hard to get those less cooperative people in the car that you used to be able to just go to the opposite door and "Pull" through.
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Only thing they're good for is transporting free range chickens.
Randy
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Randy
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Not all ours have cages but most do. Our soft cars dont. I was working a soft car once and stopped a guy who didn't look right, the guy was a monster and Leads matched a tatoo to an alias even tho the guy had ID. I should have called for a cage or a truck but i was able to sweet talk him into cuffs and on the way in he threw himself out the back at 30 mph, bounced up like a rubber ball, and started high stepping like a NFL fullback with his hands cuffed behind his back. Guy ran so fast we couldn't chase him down. We got him because he leaped a fence onto a sunken back yard he didn't figure on and landed on his head, knocking himself out. A citizen then called.
It turned out he really was a star full back who had a full ride at the U of Minn. when he killed another kid over some campus gangster nonsense. He caught a stiff sentence but he escaped the prison and was living free and clear back in the hood for two whole years. His gangster pals got him a DL and other ID, this guy was built like Walter Peyton.
Last time I did that. Even with cages you couldn't turn your backs on them because they'd either wriggle out of the cuffs, slip their legs under them, or just kick out the windows of the squad. The trucks were much better but the Dept. in all their wisdom got rid of most.
It turned out he really was a star full back who had a full ride at the U of Minn. when he killed another kid over some campus gangster nonsense. He caught a stiff sentence but he escaped the prison and was living free and clear back in the hood for two whole years. His gangster pals got him a DL and other ID, this guy was built like Walter Peyton.
Last time I did that. Even with cages you couldn't turn your backs on them because they'd either wriggle out of the cuffs, slip their legs under them, or just kick out the windows of the squad. The trucks were much better but the Dept. in all their wisdom got rid of most.
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