Less-Lethal Technology

During the past several decades, there has been a national policing trend toward the adoption of a growing arsenal of less-lethal weapons. Less-lethal weapons are intended to reduce officers’ need to use lethal force without diminishing officers’ effectiveness or undermining the safety of officers, suspected offenders, or bystanders. As new technologies are deployed, police leaders have faced concerns from the public regarding the safety and appropriate use of the new weapons.

Links and Resources

“Commission Investigating the Death of Victoria Snelgrove: Appointed by Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole,” May 2005.

National Institute of Justice, “Impact Munitions Use: Types, Targets, Effects,” October 2004.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/206089.htm

National Institute of Justice Less-Lethal Technology Research
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/lesslethal/welcome.html

Seattle Police Department, “A Less Lethal Options Program for the Seattle Police Department,” September 2000.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Publications/forg/forg_report.pdf

Seattle Police Department, “Department Policy Governing Less Lethal Options: The Taser and the Patrol Less Lethal Shotgun with Beanbag Rounds,” April 2005.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Publications/Directives
/Less_Lethal_Directive_05-016.pdf

Christopher E. Stone, Brian Buchner, Scott Dash, “Crowd Control That Can Kill: Can American Police Get a Grip on Their New ‘Less-Lethal’ Weapons Before They Kill Again?” Policy Brief, Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, October 2005.

United Kingdom, Home Office Communication Directorate
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-and-publications/publication
/operational-policing/useoffirearms.pdf?view=Binary

U.S. Department of Defense, “Nonlethal Weapons and Equipment Review: A Research Guide for Civil Law Enforcement and Corrections,” National Institute of Justice, October 2004.
http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/205293.pdf

Stun Technology

The use of Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology devices – the vast majority of which are manufactured by Taser International and are commonly known as Tasers – is expanding rapidly among law enforcement agencies across the United States. Some police departments have credited Taser proliferation with a reduction in officer-involved shootings, injuries to officers and members of the public, while some researchers and advocacy groups have raised concerns regarding the misuse and safety of the weapons. The operational deployment model as well as the placement of Tasers on use-of-force continua varies widely across departments and has resulted in disparate use from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. More and more local and state governments, in partnership with researchers and police executives, are beginning to develop more comprehensive guidelines for improved policies, training, and supervision to advance the safe and effective use of these weapons.

Publications

American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, “Stun Gun Fallacy: How the Lack of Taser Regulation Endangers Lives,” September 2005.
http://aclunc.org/police/051006-taser_report.pdf

Amnesty International, “‘Excessive and Lethal Force? Amnesty International’s Concerns about Deaths and Ill-Treatment Involving Police Use of Tasers” November 2004.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/usa/Taser_report.pdf

Canadian Police Research Centre, “Technical Report: Review of Conducted Energy Devices,” August 2005.
http://www.cprc.org/tr/tr-2006-01.pdf

City of Cincinnati’s Independent Monitor, “Eighth Quarterly Report,” January 14, 2005. (Report contains a section focused on the Cincinnati Police Department’s Taser use).
http://gabsnet.com/cincinnatimonitor/Eighth_Quarterly_Report.pdf

International Association of Chiefs of Police, “Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology: A Nine-Step Strategy For Effective Deployment,” April 2005.
http://www.iacp.org/research/rcdcuttingedgetech.htm

Madison (Wisconsin) Police Department, “Taser Report,” February 2005.
http://www.ci.madison.wi.us/police/PDF_Files/Taser%20Report.pdf

Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, “Taser Technology Review and Interim Recommendations,” September 2004. (Review of Taser use in British Columbia, Canada.)
http://www.opcc.bc.ca/Reports/2004
/Interim%20Taser%20Report%20and%20Recommendations.pdf

Police Executive Research Forum, “Conducted Energy Devices: Policy and Training Guidelines Considerations, October 2005.
www.policeforum.org

United Kingdom, Subcommittee on Medical Implication of Less-Lethal Weapons, “Second Statement on the Medical Implications of the Use of the M26 Advanced Taser,” July 2004.

U.S. Department of Defense, Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Human Effects Center of Excellence, “Human Effectiveness and Risk Characterization of the Electromuscular Incapacitation Device: A Limited Analysis of the Taser,” March 2005
http://www.iacp.org/research/CuttingEdge/HECOEReport.pdf

U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Taser Weapons: Use of Tasers by Selected Law Enforcement Agencies,” May 2005.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05464.pdf

Pepper Spray

Oleoresin Capsicum (O.C.) spray, or pepper spray, was developed around 1960 as an animal repellant and deployed as a force alternative for police. The active ingredient in these sprays, O.C., is a resin-like substance taken from hot peppers. It can cause burning, tearing, and swelling of the eyes and if inhaled, can affect mucous membranes lining the breathing passages and temporarily restrict breathing. The amount of O.C. in a spray varies by manufacturer as does the method of deployment, such as a cloud or a stream. Most law enforcement agencies place pepper spray low on the force continuum.

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Publications

Lydia Denise Adkins, “Oleoresin Capsicum: An Analysis of the Implementation of Pepper Spray into the Law Enforcement Use of Force Continuum in a Selected Police Department,” August 2003.
http://etd-submit.etsu.edu/etd/theses/available/etd-0608103-191129/
unrestricted/AdkinsD073003f.pdf

J. Michael Bowling and Monica Gaines, “Evaluation of Oleoresin Capsicum (O.C.) Use by Law Enforcement Agencies: Impact on Injuries to Officers and Suspects, Summary of Research Findings,” October 2000. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/184935.pdf

J. Michael Bowling and Monica Gaines,“Evaluation of Oleoresin Capsicum (O.C.) Use by Law Enforcement Agencies: Impact on Injuries to Officers and Suspects, Final Activity Report,” 2000.
http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/grants/184934.pdf

Theodore C. Chan, et. al., “Pepper Spray’s Effects on a Suspect’s Ability to Breathe” National Institute of Justice, December 2001. http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/188069.pdf

Steven M. Edwards, John Granfield, and Jamie Onnen, “Evaluation of Pepper Spray” National Institute of Justice, February 1997.
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/162358.pdf

Charles M. Greinsky, Sheri Holland, and Jules Martin, “Report of the Pepper Spray Committee” New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board, October 2000.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/ccrb/pdf/pepperreport.pdf

International Association of Chiefs of Police, “Pepper Spray Evaluation Project: Results of the Introduction of Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) into the Baltimore County, MD Police Department; Executive Summary,” June 1995. http://www.theiacp.org/documents/pdfs/Publications/peppersprayeval%2Epdf

National Institute of Justice, “The Effectiveness and Safety of Pepper Spray” April 2003.
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/195739.pdf

National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center, “Oleoresin Capsicum: Pepper Spray as a Force Alternative,” March 2000.
http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/grants/181655.pdf

Charles S. Perry, “Deaths in Police Custody When Oleoresin Capsicum is Used” February 2004.
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/204029.pdf

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