Nightstick with handcuff

#This invention relates generally to law enforcement equipment and, more specifically, to nightsticks and handcuffs.

#Subduing a suspected criminal is a tricky and dangerous task for a peace officer. Subduing an individual typically requires placing the individual's wrists in a pair of handcuffs. However, to handcuff an individual, a peace officer must necessarily come into very close proximity to the individual. If the individual then becomes belligerent or otherwise resists the handcuffing process, the proximity of the peace officer to the individual places the peace officer at considerable risk. Both the peace officer and the peace officer's revolver and nightstick are within easy reach of the individual. All too often, the officer's attempt to handcuff the individual turns into a wrestling match between the individual and the officer, placing the officer in deadly peril and often forcing the officer to resort to deadly force.

#Also, criminal suspects are quite often cooperative with a peace officer up until the moment when the criminal suspects believes that they are about to be arrested. As soon as the peace officer reaches for his or her handcuffs, many criminal suspects become combative or attempt to flee.

#These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a nightstick having features of the invention, showing the handcuff clasp in the retracted position;

#FIG. 2 is a second perspective of the nightstick illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the handcuff clasp in the locking position;

#The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.

#The invention is a device 10 useful as a nightstick. The 10 device comprises a long member 12, a short member 14 and a power-operated handcuff clasp 16.

#The device 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 showing the handcuff clasp 16 retracted back into the device 10, i.e., in an open position. FIG. 2 illustrates the device 10 with the handcuff clasp 16 shown in a non-retracted, i.e., closed position.