NCJ Number
149405
Journal
Sheriff Volume: 46 Issue: 3 Dated: (May-June 1994) Pages: 30-32,34
Date Published
1994
Length
4 pages
Annotation
During the past year engineers, scientists, law enforcement officials, and others have conducted site visits and discussions to evaluate a wide range of possible weapons and disabling devices that could be used by police as less- than-lethal weapons.
Abstract
An airbag is being developed for the safe containment of persons secured in the rear seat of a police vehicle. Monitoring technology is also being developed to give police officers immediate knowledge of a transported individual's health, status, and demeanor. Microwaves, expandable puncture grids to place across a road, and special nails have been suggested to stop fleeing vehicles. Redesigning batons so that they can spray pepper gas is another suggestion. Further suggestions involve using smoke, light, sound, slippery foam, aqueous foam, pepper spray, sticky foam, nonlethal disintegrating bullets, trajectory and velocity enhancements, stun darts, stun devices, smart guns, miniature robots, and software packages that provide detailed instantaneous information. Regardless of what weapon is used, police personnel must understand the situations in which it may be used and exactly where it is placed on the use-of-force continuum. Each agency must have a clearly written use-of-force statement that details this continuum. Photograph