In current times, officer-civilian interactions face unprecedented scrutiny, particularly incidents that result in the use of firearms by either or both parties.

Firearms are one of the tools available to law enforcement, but less-lethal weapons are also important tools, perhaps now more than ever, as, in some situations, they provide an alternative force option that is less likely to result in fatalities, while still being effective.

The three primary less-lethal weapons employed by law enforcement—electronic control weapons (ECWs), most commonly Tasers; batons; and pepper spray—are already in widespread use, and experts anecdotally say that interest in less-lethal weapons is running high.

As they gained popularity, less-lethal options were initially controversial due to claims that they caused avoidable injuries or deaths. However, a 2009 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that approximately 39 percent of all use-of-force cases resulted in an injury to the suspect, but that the percentage declined in cases where officers used only pepper spray (22.1 percent) or an ECW (25.1 percent).¹

Some controversy persists, but industry experts contend that new technologies—in combination with training programs—can make these weapons safer and more reliable than ever.

Electronic Control Weapons

The leading ECW, and in less-lethal options overall, is the Taser. It is likely that every police officer in the United States is at least familiar with the device.

According to statistical information provided by Axon, the company that produces the Taser, the weapon has saved more than 200,000 lives—a figure calculated based on previous studies showing that 5.4 percent of all scenarios in which Tasers were used, the ECW lowered the chance of injuries and fatalities compared to firearms or other means of force. ²

However, Axon, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is not resting on its laurels. The company has developed new models that are more effective and safer for both officer and suspect.

“What we’re finding from law enforcement is that they know they’re under a microscope,” said Steve Tuttle, Axon’s vice president of strategic communication. “The best option looks good to the public but is also a safer option and provides accountability.”³

As a weapon, the Taser is more effective than ever—newer models are designed to better penetrate thick clothing, and the X2 model provides a warning arc that can be used as a preventive measure, as well as a backup shot instead of just a single shot. “If there are two uses, you can verify that the first one didn’t make a good connection,” Tuttle said.

Additionally, Tasers can provide officers and the public with a more complete picture of a use-of-force incident. Tasers have long been able to record the time and date of each use. That recently reached a new level with pulse logs, technology within the device that automatically records not only each use but each pulse. The logs also track the temperature and the strength of each connection to the target. The data are printer-friendly, and if the device is connected to the Internet, the numbers can be uploaded to the web.

For all the tool’s features, Tuttle advised that proper training and public education are needed to make the Taser truly optimal.

“You don’t just say ‘Yeah, I learned and I’m good to go,’” Tuttle said. “You don’t do that with guns. With budgets, training often gets cut, so they may miss out. [Tasers] are used far more than firearms are used, so officers should be well-versed in how to use it. It’s more than just hitting a static target. You need moving targets and scenario-based training.”

According to Tuttle, Axon certifies trainers using a “train-the-trainers” model. The trainers then instruct officers on how to most effectively use a Taser. For example, it matters where the Taser connects on the body, and many factors are involved in understanding how many shots are required to immobilize a suspect.

“These are not magic bullets,” Tuttle said. “Our devices became very routine. Certain things have to happen. You have to hit something muscular and that has a lot of nerve bundles… You could have a great shot, but, meanwhile, a suspect is still attacking the officer.”

In turn, it is important to demonstrate to civilians how the Taser works and why. This is easier when officers are trained to use the device as efficiently and effectively as possible. “The Taser still raises eyebrows until you educate the public and your community stakeholders,” Tuttle said.

Batons

Like the Taser, ASP has become synonymous with its product, the baton. ASP is the familiar acronym for Armament Systems and Procedures, the Appleton, Wisconsin, company that has manufactured expandable batons for decades. The company now offers approximately 60 different models.

Although solid, side-handle batons are still in use, the expandable version long ago became the baton of choice for much of law enforcement, thanks in large part to its lighter weight and compact design. ASP produces several different categories of baton. Friction Loc batons are the company’s classic models, and the Talon is a newer line that features push-button retraction for more ease and convenience. Various lengths are available in each style.

“The science behind what we do gives officers the ability to de-escalate,” said Daryell Harmon, ASP’s vice president of sales. “And it’s a must-have when de-escalation doesn’t work. The baton has a huge psychological appearance. It deploys with a loud crack. That signals that the baton is steel, and it is dangerous. It de-escalates a situation without having to put hands on somebody. And when you do have to use it, the gross motor skills it uses allow you to use it without a lot of injury to the subject.”⁴

The baton, officials said, provides a kind of sensory deterrent that other less-lethal choices do not. “There’s a lot to be said for lower tech,” said Michael Hess, a spokesman for the company. “That crack when they deploy the baton is scary. It’s pretty binary, what happens with the baton. You swing, you get hit.”⁵

As a weapon, an expandable baton has a reputation as being less powerful than its solid predecessors, but despite its thinness, it can pack a formidable punch. “I’ve often heard cops saying that their relative fear factor is higher with the baton,” Hess said. “That they’d rather be shocked than hit by a baton.”

There is also the matter of the baton’s relative ease of concealment—something that benefits those officers who are not in uniform. “There are a lot of plainclothes officers, and we haven’t forgotten that,” said Harmon. “It clips onto the belt and it’s concealable.”

In addition, the baton is a multi-tasker in the officer’s duty belt. “It’s a life-saving tool,” Hess said. “You can use it as an extrication tool. Break car or house windows to save someone’s life. It’s the only thing on the belt that can do that.”

Batons are often a more cost-effective solution than other less-lethal tools. While Axon does not officially publish prices, ASP batons start at around $60—considerably less than ECWs available on secondary markets.

As with ECWs, though, training is essential to use batons properly, and ASP recognizes this, offering baton training to agencies around the world free of charge.

Pepper Spray

Pepper spray is the most widely used less-lethal weapon when it comes to crowd control. Although it is very painful and even incapacitating in the short term, it is usually harmless after it wears off. Studies on the matter have returned mixed results. One study concluded that pepper spray poses no dangers to suspects’ breathing ability, while another from the U.S. Department of Justice found that two deaths occurred out of 63 cases examined. Both deaths involved subjects with asthma.⁶

Several manufacturers create pepper spray for the law enforcement sector. One of the leading manufacturers is Sabre, a Fenton, Missouri, company that boasts the New York Police Department, Chicago Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, among others, as customers.⁷

State laws sometimes prohibit the sale or use of certain kinds of pepper spray, but Sabre offers three primary levels of pepper spray for law enforcement, each one containing varying levels of major capsaicinoids—the component of pepper spray that incapacitates a target—for different uses, topping out at 1.33 percent.

The Sabre 3-in-1 combines tear gas with red pepper, while Sabre Red is pure pepper spray and delivers the highest concentration of major capsaicinoids among Sabre’s offerings. A newer product, Sabre Red Pepper Gel, works best when officers need to hit a more precise target. This makes it ideal for use in areas where minimal bystander impact is important.

Despite its effectiveness in some situations, pepper spray has been subject to controversy in recent years for well-publicized incidents, including student protests. As with ECWs and batons, Sabre recommends training for all pepper spray users. Although the training is designed primarily for civilians, hundreds of Sabre instructors are available and can provide training or information to police departments. Additionally, inert pepper sprays and other training products are available from Sabre to help facilitate practice and improve proficiency. ♦

Notes:

¹John M. MacDonald, Robert J. Kaminski, and Michael R. Smith, “The Effect of Less-Lethal Weapons on Injuries in Police Use-of-Force Events,” American Journal of Public Health 99, no. 12 (December 2009).
²Axon, “How Safe Are Taser Weapons?”
³Steve Tuttle (vice president, strategic communication, Axon), telephone interview, May 11, 2018.
⁴Daryell Harmon (vice president, sales, ASP), telephone interview, May 11, 2018.
⁵Michael Hess (spokesperson, ASP), telephone interview, May 11, 2018.
⁶Theodore C. Chan et al., “Pepper Spray’s Effects on a Subject’s Ability Breathe,” National Institute of Justice Research in Brief (December 2001); National Institute of Justice, The Effectiveness and Safety of Pepper Spray, Research for Practice, April 2003.
⁷Sabre website.