Do you carry handcuffs off duty?

[CAL]

Why or why not? This question seems to cause a lot of debate and I'm curious why this is.

[Reno911]

I don't carry handcuffs off duty because I'm not going to get into an enforcement/arrest situation. Our department has a "be a good witness" policy. Not all people agree with this, but it's a Dept. policy. I do carry off duty to protect my family.

[Broke Hoss]

I carry a weapon but no cuffs. I carried thumbcuffs (worthless) and later a set of lightweight S&W cuffs many years ago. But I found no need and usually a pain to conceal. All but my wife's car have a set in the console & I have a pair in my bailout bag.

[Feet]

I don't carry handcuffs off duty because I'm not going to get into an enforcement/arrest situation. Our department has a "be a good witness" policy. Not all people agree with this, but it's a Dept. policy. I do carry off duty to protect my family.

Same here.
I have lots of guns and ammo, even some pepper spray in my truck but I don't want to get fired. Worst case scenario, I can keep the suspect detained by keeping my shoe on the back of his neck.

[DD78]

If I'm carrying a gun, I'm carrying handcuffs. Not because I want to be a cowboy, but because they go hand in hand with each other.

[FerretLE426]

If you have a reason to shoot someone and he is not dead you will be wanting something to keep him immobile until others show up. Think about this you handcuff the badguy and render first aid(training remember!) Do you really want to be holdin a gun when the first rookie shows up and sees a guy over another with a gun out and nothing tells him you are a cop!
I teach all my guys to carry a gun, magazine and handcuffs per departmental policy.

[CAL]

If you have a reason to shoot someone and he is not dead you will be wanting something to keep him immobile until others show up. Think about this you handcuff the badguy and render first aid(training remember!) Do you really want to be holdin a gun when the first rookie shows up and sees a guy over another with a gun out and nothing tells him you are a cop!
I teach all my guys to carry a gun, magazine and handcuffs per departmental policy.
Good point!

[4P93]

I carry cuffs off duty... something I was told when I first started, If you're going to carry your weapon off duty, you better have your badge, and you better have your cuffs...after all, if the situation is bad enough that you have to get involved off duty... how are you going to restrain the subject without cuffs? Are you going to stand there and be the guy holding them at gunpoint when uniformed officers arrive?

[SARSpecialist]

If you have a reason to shoot someone and he is not dead you will be wanting something to keep him immobile until others show up. Think about this you handcuff the badguy and render first aid(training remember!) Do you really want to be holdin a gun when the first rookie shows up and sees a guy over another with a gun out and nothing tells him you are a cop!
I teach all my guys to carry a gun, magazine and handcuffs per departmental policy.

Your in a position to have to immediatly stop a threat.. the puke gives up.. you have drawn weapon, you prone them out.. this person is still a threat until he is made immobile.. I carry cuffs every time I carry a gun.. I am a Sheep dog... not a Sheep