Less Lethal Weapons: A Technologist's Perspective

• NCJ Number: 220146
• Journal: Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management Volume: 30 Issue: 3 Dated: 2007 Pages: 358-384
• Author(s): Raymond L. Downs
• Date Published: 2007
• Length: 27 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper provides a comprehensive picture of the wide range of technical, operational, and management issues that must be considered when developing, acquiring, or using less lethal weapons for law enforcement agencies.

Abstract

The descriptions of the range of less lethal weapons currently available and those in the prototype or planning stages should, in combination with the perspectives presented on incapacitation phenomena, less lethal weapon requirements, and guiding principles, enhance the knowledge and appreciation to the challenges and complexities of these public safety tools. It must be remembered that they are only tools. Less lethal weapons are never a substitute for good officer training and personal judgment, well designed agency policies and procedures, and responsible professional law enforcement or corrections agency leadership. Law enforcement and correctional officers use less lethal weapons to temporarily incapacitate, confuse, delay, or restrain assaultive or noncompliant individuals or crowds in a variety of confrontational scenarios. Generally, these weapons are meant to provide alternatives to hands-on techniques or batons when a decision to use force has been made and the subject or crowd is unarmed. Over-confidence of less lethal weapon capabilities has put officers’ lives at risk when they are used as a substitute for deadly force when the latter is indeed the appropriate response. To provide a comprehensive picture of the wide range of technical, operational, and management issues that must be considered when developing, acquiring, or using less lethal weapons, this paper begins by considering all the ways that less lethal weapons can potentially impact human physiology to prevent or reduce the level of threatening behavior. It describes and reviews the various types of weapons in current use, as well as those under development and testing. The paper concludes with a list of general principles and requirements that the author believes must be considered to develop or deploy a successful less lethal weapon. References