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tws92E05 · August 2, 2012, 04:26 PM

Having been in law enforcement for 21 years now in one of the largest cities in the nation I have seen many different secondary non-lethal weapons come and go.

OC spray is probably one of the better ones, even though I refuse to carry it and do not want any of the people around me deploying it. I have been on scenes where it has been deployed twice and both times it took the crook down along with about three officers in the fight including myself. You can not control where it is going due to wind and other factors and if you are even approaching the scene from downwind you are going to get hit. Stay away from the “Mace” based sprays they just do not have much stopping power. You want a “Pepper” Capsaisin type spray but be prepared for the effects it will have on even the user.

Some folks are saying stun gun, again you have to know what the limitations of that product. The small hand held “Stun guns” you see being sold in stores are for pain compliance only. They will not incapacitate. When these are used you have to be up close and grab ahold of the person when applying the charge otherwise all they will do is pull away and there is no more pain. If you can deploy it in that manner and then run it might be a viable option.

Taser is a product name brand and is another option and again has its limitations. It shoots two darts that are attached to copper wires that will incapacitate while the charge is being administered if deployed properly. If you are law enforcement you can buy the cartridges that have a 21 foot wire in them. For civilian purposes the longest wire you can purchase is 15 feet. They basically work by locking the muscles down between the two probes, the larger the muscle that is hit the better these work and the further the spread of the two darts apart the better. Once the shock stops the person is fully functional again and can continue the fight if you don’t shock them again. I have seen them used in real world events. I have seen people immediately lock up and fall and I have seen people rip the darts out and throw them back at the officer. That happened twice that I have seen and both times one was very drunk and the other was very high.

Expandable baton is another option. They are light and can be carried in your hand while running and I think legal to carry in most of the states. Again you have to be close to use these but there is also an intimidation factor involved. They can be deployed very quickly but you should probably train with it some also.

These are probably some of the best non-lethal options I have seen come out in my 21 year career. If I had to pick one it would be between the OC spray and the baton. Both are small, light weight and can be carried while jogging and be readily available for use. They both have their advantages and disadvantages but they are better than nothing.

August 2, 2012, 04:26 PM	#27
tws92E05 Member Join Date: September 17, 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 40	Having been in law enforcement for 21 years now in one of the largest cities in the nation I have seen many different secondary non-lethal weapons come and go. OC spray is probably one of the better ones, even though I refuse to carry it and do not want any of the people around me deploying it. I have been on scenes where it has been deployed twice and both times it took the crook down along with about three officers in the fight including myself. You can not control where it is going due to wind and other factors and if you are even approaching the scene from downwind you are going to get hit. Stay away from the “Mace” based sprays they just do not have much stopping power. You want a “Pepper” Capsaisin type spray but be prepared for the effects it will have on even the user. Some folks are saying stun gun, again you have to know what the limitations of that product. The small hand held “Stun guns” you see being sold in stores are for pain compliance only. They will not incapacitate. When these are used you have to be up close and grab ahold of the person when applying the charge otherwise all they will do is pull away and there is no more pain. If you can deploy it in that manner and then run it might be a viable option. Taser is a product name brand and is another option and again has its limitations. It shoots two darts that are attached to copper wires that will incapacitate while the charge is being administered if deployed properly. If you are law enforcement you can buy the cartridges that have a 21 foot wire in them. For civilian purposes the longest wire you can purchase is 15 feet. They basically work by locking the muscles down between the two probes, the larger the muscle that is hit the better these work and the further the spread of the two darts apart the better. Once the shock stops the person is fully functional again and can continue the fight if you don’t shock them again. I have seen them used in real world events. I have seen people immediately lock up and fall and I have seen people rip the darts out and throw them back at the officer. That happened twice that I have seen and both times one was very drunk and the other was very high. Expandable baton is another option. They are light and can be carried in your hand while running and I think legal to carry in most of the states. Again you have to be close to use these but there is also an intimidation factor involved. They can be deployed very quickly but you should probably train with it some also. These are probably some of the best non-lethal options I have seen come out in my 21 year career. If I had to pick one it would be between the OC spray and the baton. Both are small, light weight and can be carried while jogging and be readily available for use. They both have their advantages and disadvantages but they are better than nothing.