Section 10-147. Possession of handcuffs, thumb-cuffs or leg irons by unauthorized persons prohibited  


Latest version.
  • a. It shall be unlawful for any  person  to  knowingly  possess any type of handcuffs, including disposable cinch
      cuffs, thumb cuffs or leg irons. This section  shall  not  prohibit  the
      possession  of  toy handcuffs which by their construction cannot be used
      to restrain an individual.
        b. The prohibition of this section shall not apply  to  the  following
      persons:
        1.  any  peace  officer,  police  officer or any person appointed as a
      police officer by the superintendent of state police; or
        2. any  police  officer  or  peace  officer  of  another  state  while
      conducting official business within the state of New York; or
        3.  any  employee  of  the city, charged with the care or custody of a
      juvenile committed to a secure detention  facility,  while  on  duty  or
      while traveling to or from his or her assigned duty; or
        4. any person in military service or other service of the state, or of
      the  United  States, in pursuit of official duty or when duly authorized
      by federal or state law, regulation  or  ordered  to  possess  the  same
      articles prohibited by this section; or
        5. any member of the auxiliary police force; or
        6.  any  special patrolman appointed by the police commissioner, while
      on duty or while traveling to or from his or her assigned place of duty;
      or
        7. any licensed private investigator  or  any  employee  of  a  watch,
      guard, or patrol agency licensed by the secretary of state under article
      seven  of the general business law, or any employee of a person, firm or
      corporation operating an armored car transportation service, while  such
      person  is acting in the course of his or her employment or is traveling
      to or from his or her place of employment; and
        8. any employee of a  person,  firm  or  corporation  engaged  in  the
      business  of  manufacturing,  selling  or  transporting  such handcuffs,
      including disposable cinch cuffs, thumb cuffs or leg  irons,  which  are
      intended  for  possession  by  persons authorized by this section, while
      such person is acting in the course or  his  or  her  employment  or  is
      traveling to or from his or her place of employment; or
        9.  any  person  engaged  in  a  business  activity which requires the
      utilization of such handcuffs, including disposable cinch  cuffs,  thumb
      cuffs  or leg irons as authorized pursuant to regulations promulgated by
      the police commissioner, while such person is acting in  the  course  or
      his  or  her  employment  or is traveling to or from his or her place of
      employment.
        c. Any person found in violation of this section shall be punished  by
      a  fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred dollars
      or imprisonment of not more than ten days or both.