FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING A B737-200 FLT ON WHICH THERE WAS A PAX WHO WAS HANDCUFFED. FLT ATTENDANT SPOKE TO THE ACCOMPANYING FEDERAL MARSHALS REGARDING COMPANY POLICY ABOUT TRANSPORTING HANDCUFFED PAX. THEY INDICATED HE WAS DANGEROUS AND HE REMAINED HANDCUFFED THE ENTIRE FLT.

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MIA-BWI; JAN/XA/99. DURING THE BOARDING PROCESS; SEVERAL PEOPLE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. A CUSTOMS OFFICIAL; A FEDERAL MARSHAL; AN FAA INSPECTOR OBSERVING CARGO; A MAINT WORKER AND A JUMP SEAT PLT. IT WAS VERY BUSY BEFORE DEP. THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT WAS INFORMED BY AN AGENT THAT A FEDERAL MARSHAL WAS RIDING WITH US TO BWI (WHICH SHE INFORMED THE 'B' AND 'C' FLT ATTENDANTS). WHILE I WAS PERFORMING THE CABIN WALK-THROUGH BEFORE TKOF; I NOTICED A PAX WITH HIS HANDS SHACKLED AND A CLOTH OF SOME KIND WAS AROUND THEM. I NOTICED A MAN WITH HANDCUFFS AROUND HIS BACK BELT BUCKLE. I ASKED HIM IF HE WAS A GUARD WITH A PRISONER AND HE SAID YES. (THERE WERE 2 OTHER FEDERAL AGENTS IN NEARBY SEATS.) THE MARSHAL CAME TO THE AFT GALLEY TO DISCUSS THE SIT; DURING TAXI. I INFORMED HIM OF OUR POLICY REGARDING HANDCUFFS AND SHACKLES DURING THE FLT. THE GUARD SAID THE PRISONER WAS CONSIDERED DANGEROUS AND WANTED TO KEEP THIS QUIET. HE SAID THE CAPT WAS AWARE OF THEM. I EXPLAINED TO THE MARSHAL THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS NEEDED TO KNOW IF WE HAVE A PRISONER AND GUARDS ON BOARD THE ACFT. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THE CAPT WHAT I HAD LEARNED; WHILE TAXIING. I ALSO INFORMED THE CAPT THAT IT WAS OUR POLICY NOT TO HANDCUFF PRISONERS AND THAT WE CANNOT TRANSPORT PRISONERS CONSIDERED DANGEROUS. THE PRISONER REMAINED SHACKLED THE ENTIRE FLT. THE MANIFEST IN MIA DID NOT MENTION 3 FEDERAL MARSHALS OR A PRISONER; NOR WERE THE FLT ATTENDANTS NOTIFIED OF SUCH PERSONS. THE ABOVE MENTIONED WERE NOT BOARDED FIRST; ACCORDING TO OUR POLICY AND FEDERAL REGS. THE FACT THAT THE GUARDS WERE ARMED OR NOT WAS NOT CLRLY ADDRESSED. THE FLT IN BWI WAS MET BY 3 FEDERAL MARSHALS AND A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE; AND TAKEN DOWN THE JETWAY STAIRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT SHE SPOKE WITH COMPANY AND FILED A RPT. THERE WAS FOLLOW UP WITH THE MIA STATION MGR. THERE WERE DISCREPANCIES BTWN WHAT THE STATION MGR INDICATED AND WHAT THE CABIN ATTENDANT EXPERIENCED. CURRENTLY; THERE ARE STILL DIFFERENCES REGARDING FOLLOWING OF THE COMPANY AND FAA REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ABOUT CARRYING HANDCUFFED PAX. THE FEDERAL MARSHALS NEVER REALLY NOTED WHETHER THEY WERE CARRYING WEAPONS OR NOT. RPTR IS A MEMBER OF THE UNION SAFETY COMMITTEE AND PLANS TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PROCS USED.