Less lethal weapons are tools, which are available to police officers that have a reduced likelihood of producing great bodily harm or death (Young, 2004). These tools are classified, through third party testing, by measuring the mass, velocity and payload delivered when they are deployed (Young, 2004). The most commonly found less lethal weapons are, olio capsaicin (pepper spray), impact weapon (baton) and stun guns (Tasers) (Young, 2004). Olio capsaicin (OC or pepper spray) is typically a water based mixture of natural oils from cayenne peppers (Czarnecki, 2004, p. 443-456). This compound has been in use for many centuries throughout the world, and has been deployed through many different mediums (Czarnecki, 2004, p. 443-456). Some of the …show more content…
These weapons were introduces in Britten in the 1800’s, however in the 1970’s they evolved beyond a sick with which to indiscriminately hit a suspect with, by the added fetcher of a handle that is attached at a right angel, on one end of the wound (Young, Specialized Training & Tactics: Where Have all the Batons gone?, 2005). The baton is used in conjunction with perishable skills, such as tack downs and control techniques, in order to control the suspect (Young, Specialized Training & Tactics: Where Have all the Batons gone?, 2005). The next generation baton was its collapsible cousin, the ASP, a telescoping, slime design with grate sound effects when deployed (Young, Specialized Training & Tactics: Where Have all the Batons gone?, 2005). However, the ASP and its design flaws were soon overshadowed by a highbred baton (Young, Specialized Training & Tactics: Where Have all the Batons gone?, 2005). This new baton allows the officer to move seamlessly move through blocking, striking at all distances and restricting and stabilizing techniques (Young, Specialized Training & Tactics: Where Have all the Batons gone?, 2005). The longevity and evolution of the baton would imply that it will be an option available to officers for many years come (Young, Specialized Training & Tactics: Where Have all the Batons gone?,
In the movie, La Misma Luna, immigration officers stormed a tomato picking workshop and asked everyone for their papers. They showed no warrant for being there, but assumed that all were illegal immigrants. When some of the workers saw what was happening, they ran and yelled a warning to everyone. The police saw that some were getting away so they used forceful action to keep who they could there. They grabbed people by the neck or by the shirt or whatever they could get a hold of; then they would throw them to the ground and brutally beat them with their police batons. In the police training handbook it describes the use of less than lethal force by saying, “The application of any less than lethal force or device should be managed and monitored in the same way as if that force could cause serious injury or death.” (http://www.justice.gov/archive/crs/pubs/pdexcess.pdf). In the situation presented in the movie, La Misma Luna, the police did not manage or monitor their use of lethal weapons carefully because they beat random people until they couldn’t move. If it had caused serious injury or death, than those particular policemen...
Weapons have been around from the Neanderthals of the post-ice age, to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Rocks became knives, sticks became spears, and bayonets became AK-47’s. The technology from the French and Indian War was revolutionized and manufactured by the newly opened weaponry companies. Colt and Winchester had a new end of the market during the times of conflict in the United States.
The Use of the TASER in the Police Force. The use of conducted energy weapons in the police force has become increasingly popular since they were introduced only a short while ago. The TASER is claimed to be the safest and most productive type of less lethal force in use today, with a very quick recovery rate and no long term side effects. The TASER has quickly taken over the harsh use of pepper spray, the brutal force of the baton and in some cases the firearm.
History of U.S. Army Weapons | Military.com. (n.d.). History of U.S. Army Weapons | Military.com. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from http://www.military.com/army-birthday/history-of-us-army-weapons.html
Orange and Cancer"). The chemical was sprayed from airplanes on trees, base perimeters, roadways, and communication lines. It was also sprayed by riverboats and trucks (committee, 74). Agent Orange is a dioxin herbicide containing Dichlorophenoxyacetic and Trichlorophenoxyacetic acids. "Dioxin is the most toxic and most durable chemical mankind has developed so far" ("Vietnamese"). Both acids are highly toxic and considered mutagens ("Toxipedia"). Trichlorophenoxyacetic is considerabl...
This essay will aim to explore the controversial issue in regards to whether more police officers should be armed with Tasers. This essay will argue that more officers should not be equipped with Tasers, also known as “Conducted Energy Weapons” (CEWs), and that the issuing of Tasers by police services should be limited to supervisors and specialized tactical units until further research has been conducted on the effects that Tasers have on the human body. Furthermore the abuse of Tasers by police officers will also be argued as another reason why officers should not be armed with Tasers.
Over the years, our nation has witnessed countless cases of police brutality. It has developed into a controversial topic between communities. For instance, deindustrialization is the removal or reduction of manufacturing capability or activity can lead to more crimes when people are laid off. Police officers are faced with many threatening situations day-to-day gripping them to make split second decisions; either to expect the worst or hope for the best. The police are given the authority to take any citizen away for their action that can ruin their lives. With that kind of power comes great responsibility, which is one main concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force might or
Use of Electronic Control Devices (ECD’s) such as the widely used taser X26 at the discretion of police officers can be a very useful tool in order to temporarily disable and obtain custody of a non-compliant suspect. When used appropriately it can even reduce the risk of a suspect physically harming the officer, himself or others through temporary physical incapacitation. However these devices need not be used unnecessarily, and officers who do employ their use liberally and without just cause should not go without appropriate disciplinary measures proportionate to the magnitude of the situation. I would like to shed light on a few examples of ECD use where officer discretion have come under scrutiny.
...using chemical sprays or projectiles implanted with chemicals, such as pepper spray. Officers may also use “Conducted Energy Devices, CEDS” to control an individual, these weapons are usually known as Tasers. Tasers release a high-voltage jolt of electricity from a distance. A good situation in which law enforcement officers use this guideline is when they are trying to control riots. Using less-lethal technologies officers may be able to control a large group, if they are not able to restrain them then officers will be left to use blunt impact, chemicals such as tear gas or pepper spray, or even conducted energy devices until they are able to get ahold of the situation
Police use of force can be described as being the "amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject.”(nij.gov, p.1) The stages of force police use are simple verbal and physical restraint, less lethal force and lethal force. Police officers are encouraged to use only enough force necessary to control a situation, arrest the person, or protect themselves or others from harm (p.1). When a situation begins to spiral out of control for the police officers, the next level should be used in order to gain control.
It is safe to say that tasers are not as lethal as guns, but they can still cause serious damage to individuals. This is because not everyone has the same body, and not everyone will have the same reaction to 50,000 volts of electricity. In the text, “Taser Controversy Refuses to Die” by author Matthew Davis, “the ‘less - than - lethal’ weapons have involved one 74 deaths in the United States and Canada” (5,1). Tasers are known as weapons that are not as dangerous as guns, but they somehow still cause a noticeable number of deaths in just the United States and Canada.
A '''use of force continuum''' is a standard that affords law enforcement officials & security officers (police, probation, or corrections) with guidelines as to how much use of force may be used against a repelling subject in a given situation. In certain ways it is similar to the military’s escalation of force. The reason of these models is to clarify, both for officers and citizens, the complex subject of use of force by law officers. They are often vital parts of law enforcement agencies' use of force policies. Although various agencies have developed different models of the continuum, there is no universal standard model (Stetser, 2001, p. 36)
These kinds of weapons were impractical for military use, but attracted many people to the arms race for weapons that could sweep the battlefield. “They had limitations in practice, among them slow re...
This tool requires no force to be presented and it may be considered to be the best way to resolve a situation. There really isn't any physical harm to anyone at this stage all it is an officer, for example, arriving at a scene and the problem calming down once he arrives. There are no words being spoken with this tool only the body language of the officer is making its presence. This quite similar to when siblings are fighting with one another and the mother enters. Once they feel her presence in the room the dispute that they might have had
In my opinion I like the shot spotter device. Officers can be quite a distance away and know where a gun has been shot off from. This gives the offic...