NCJ Number
219064
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 34 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 142,144,147
Date Published
June 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the use of less-lethal law enforcement technology, with an emphasis on France’s Flash-Ball technology.
Abstract
The Flash-Ball is a hand-held device that looks similar to a handgun and is capable of firing a 28-gram, soft rubber ball that can, according to its manufacturer, deliver a “Mike Tyson knock-out punch from up to 10 meters” away. The soft rubber ball is designed not to penetrate the skin of a normally clothed individual. While the Flash-Ball has been widely adopted by law enforcement agencies in France, law enforcement agencies in the United States remain skeptical about its safety. Less-than-lethal technology experts point out that the Flash-Ball is hand-held, which decreases its accuracy and can thus cause serious damage if an individual is accidentally hit in the face. Moreover, in some instances, internal injuries have resulted from the use of the Flash-Ball. Experts in the United States claim that their combination of using a TASER and a 40mm shoulder-fired launcher is much safer because of the increased accuracy of a shoulder-fired weapon in comparison to a hand-held weapon. Exhibits