NCJ Number
146577
Journal
Police Chief Dated: (August 1992) Pages: 10,12,14,16,18
Date Published
1992
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The Los Angeles Police Department has used the TASER and chemical irritant spray during approximately 3,000 violent encounters during the past 10 years; data from 502 randomly selected incidents not involving firearms in 1989 overwhelmingly indicate that nonlethal weapons are as effective as other force types.
Abstract
In addition, the use of selected nonlethal weapons results in virtually no serious injuries to officers or suspects, while conventional types of force (baton, karate kick, punch, flashlight, swarm, and miscellaneous bodily force) often result in serious injuries to officers and suspects. Therefore, police agency policies regarding the lawful use of force should encourage police officers to use nonlethal weapons as the first resort in situations where it is reasonable and necessary to cause resisting suspects to fall to the ground. Nonlethal devices are needed for close- contact situations and for situations where a distance exists between the parties, along with time to plan and maneuver. Factors that must be considered when deploying nonlethal weapons include effectiveness, ease of operation by one officer, manufacturing quality and training, and legal and medical support. Cost per unit should be a minor consideration in view of the heavy damages routinely awarded in modern civil cases.