15 Nov 01

I've been working with a police department in Illinois recently, and I've had the opportunity to test and use their inventory of less-lethal weapons.

They have pump shotguns dedicated to shooting beanbag projectiles. That also have several Sage break-open 37mm launchers which can fire hard rubber baton rounds as well as a number of other special munitions.

The 12ga "sock" beanbag rounds are superior to the "sewn" beanbags which are supposed to open up into a square after firing. Sock beanbags are extremely accurate and, via a pump shotgun, can be launched in rapid succession. This gives the officer the opportunity to stop at any point where the suspect decides he doesn't want to fight any more.

The square "sewn" beanbag projectiles, once deployed, are extremely inaccurate and not recommended.

The 37mm rubber baton round is much bigger and strikes with significantly greater force than any 12ga beanbag round, so just one good impact is all that is usually necessary to get the suspect down and in "non-fighting" mode. However, they are not as accurate as the 12ga sock beanbag, and follow-up rounds are much slower, as the gun must be broken open and reloaded for each subsequent shot.

Rotary-magazine 37mm launchers are available also, but much gas pressure is lost at the juncture of the rotary magazine and the barrel, so their range and impact strength is considerably reduced form that of the break-open model.

Significant injury is likely when beanbags or batons strike the head, groin, knee joints, etc. Therefore, and extensive training program where all officers have the opportunity to launch actual rounds at targets is essential. The best impact point is the abdomen. That predictably knocks the wind out of the suspect and sends him to the ground gasping for breath. However, he will recover, usually within a minute, so, once disabled, he must be approached and cuffed rapidly. Otherwise, he may have to be knocked down a second time.

All officers armed with less-lethal guns must be accompanied by other officers armed with conventional guns, so that a lethal response is always rapidly available.

Giving officers multiple force options necessitates extensive training, lest officers become confused with and by all their options. Confusion and hesitation is a real problem when adequate training is not provided.

/John