
feature_0594
Change
“The only thing cops hate more than change is the way things are.”
I don’t know where to attribute that quote because I’ve heard it so much over the years. We tend to complain about the “that’s how we’ve always done it” excuse but then don’t do our part in battling institutional inertia. In fairness, younger cops seem to embrace change and newer ways of doing things a little better than we half-centenarians. That said, one of the things we 1900s-era cops had right was simple but effective use-of-force tools.

Dymondwood straight sticks from the Koga Institute – a very viable option for a straight forward impact weapon (PC – Koga)
The Kids Are Alright … At least, Okay
Our newer hires have benefited from growing up in the digital culture. They are gifted with an innate comfort with technology, written communication skills, and, frankly, a much more natural sense of empathy. All of those are necessary skills for the job. That said, some incredible, more tangible tools are being left behind in our rush toward progress.

Monadnock’s side handle baton – the PR-24. It worked as an impact weapon for years, but not everyone understood all of its capabilities (PC – BatonWarehouse)
Not all of our newer cops are like this afflicted, though; like this Oklahoma cop – David Cagle:
Author’s interview with Ofc David Cagle
Baton
Law enforcement batons were the standard for decades, and they worked when deployed correctly. Then came the three-part expandable models. None of these expandable versions worked well, regardless of the user’s skill. Describing these “batons,” as wretched, burning restaurant garbage is somewhat generous. The striking area is narrow and light and thus has little effect, even when applied correctly. They break, bend, and sometimes cut suspects, yet have little or no effect on aggressive behavior. I still have my Monadnock two-part expandable, which I bought right after the academy, as was recommended by our defensive tactics instructors. Their striking end holds most of the baton’s weight and is quite effective, but they came along too late, I’m afraid.
Author’s video on the viability of batons.
<
Oleoresin Capsicum
Cops in the 90s had to deal with all kinds of negativity about the use of Oleoresin Capsicum (OC, pepper spray) as a de-escalation tool. Granted, we didn’t use the term “de-escalation” at the time, but that’s exactly what OC is: a de-escalation tool. At least one large metropolitan police department faced a court-imposed moratorium on the use of OC, which was instigated by an anti-cop organization. Please see the book Official Negligence. Predictably, officer and offender injuries, as well as uses of deadly force, increased during that period. This is a common theme among the arrogant yet ignorant political and social groups who insert themselves into issues they don’t understand.
The truth is OC is among the safest uses-of-force second only to properly trained and applied lateral vascular neck restraints (LVNR, not the oft-confused “choke hold,”) which gives the most ignorant members of the media and government the vapors. That’s another topic, but if LVNR was so terribly dangerous, mixed martial arts gyms would be strewn with corpses. Anyway…if inferior equipment killed the baton in law enforcement, what killed OC? I would say the Taser.
Downsides of Taser
You may need to move closer to your fainting couch. Ready? Tasers are neither magic nor the best solution for every situation requiring force. In a lot of circumstances, it’s nearly impossible to place two probes effectively and achieve neuromuscular incapacitation, even with the new Taser 10 (which is the best version, IMO). The Taser is just a tool and an effective one if properly deployed in the right situation. In too many cases, however, cops default to the Taser when other tools would be more effective, sometimes with tragic results. Too many officers believe the Taser is magic and absolve them of the responsibility to go hands-on or use other tools. Sometimes, going hands-on is the best option. Sometimes, OC is the best option. Sometimes, a good-quality baton is the best option, and sometimes, the Taser is the best option.
Podcast discussion of less-lethal weapons
(Editor’s note: One large West Coast agency has had a Taser failure approaching 50%)
Keep the Present and the Past
When OC came on the scene, many cops used that as an excuse to stop carrying a baton. The same is true for the OC and Taser, but that period was much more damaging to cops and the public. Instead of looking at these tools as a replacement, we should have seen them as supplements. It seems we are always looking for that one magic object that will make our job easier. It’s a tough gig, folks, and no single tool will ever change that. The fact is we’ve always known what it takes to make this job easier: fortitude, knowledge, and resilience. It’s up to all of us to reach back in time and regain what we’ve lost.