Shield Thursdays: August 27, 2026 - Managing High-Risk Detainees: The Proper Use of Restraint Chairs

August 27, 2-26
9:00PDT | 12:00 PM EDT
Presented by Mitch Lucas

Restraint chairs remain one of the most effective — and most scrutinized — tools available to jail staff managing high-risk detainees. When used appropriately, they can help prevent injury, restore order, and protect detainees and staff. When used improperly, they can create serious medical risks, civil liability, adverse publicity, and operational consequences for the agency.

This one-hour Shield Thursday program examines restraint-chair use through the lens of correctional operations, medical risk, supervision, documentation, and liability reduction. The program will focus on the critical questions that arise before, during, and after restraint-chair placement: why the chair was used, whether the restraint remained necessary, how the detainee was monitored, and whether the event was properly documented.

Participants Will Learn:

• When restraint-chair placement may be appropriate in a jail setting.

• How to distinguish legitimate safety uses from convenience, punishment, or overuse.

• Key medical risks associated with restraint-chair use.

• Monitoring practices and warning signs requiring immediate intervention.

• Supervisor responsibilities before, during, and after placement.

• Documentation practices that reduce litigation and administrative risk.

• Policy considerations for safer and more defensible restraint-chair use.

Who Should Attend

This program is designed for sheriffs, jail administrators, command staff, correctional supervisors, correctional officers, medical and mental health personnel, risk managers, county counsel, and agency attorneys responsible for jail operations, custody safety, policy development, and liability reduction.

Presented By:

Mitch Lucas

Mitch Lucas is a nationally recognized corrections expert and retired Assistant Sheriff with more than three decades of experience in jail operations, correctional leadership, inmate management, use of force, and detention-facility risk reduction. During his career, he served in executive leadership positions overseeing jail operations, detention services, and agency-wide public safety functions.

Mr. Lucas is a Past President of the American Jail Association and has served on numerous national committees addressing correctional policy, inmate safety, detention standards, and jail administration. He has worked with the U.S. Department of Justice, instructed for the National Institute of Corrections, and provided training and consulting services to correctional agencies throughout the United States.

He is also the co-author of Managing Risk: Recommendations for Safer Restraint Chair Practices, a widely cited article examining the operational, medical, and liability issues associated with restraint-chair use in correctional facilities. His work in this area has helped agencies develop safer policies, improve monitoring practices, reduce risk, and enhance staff decision-making when managing high-risk detainees.

Mr. Lucas serves on the Advisory Board and faculty of Shield Public Safety Training and is widely respected for his expertise in correctional administration, inmate safety, restraint practices, supervision, and risk management.

Register

Registration: $49

Tags: #shieldthursdays, #jailoperations, #corrections, #restraintchair, #custodyrisk, #liabilityreduction