As ongoing public controversy over police tactics shapes the conversation over use of force, it should come as no surprise to anyone in the law enforcement community that less-lethal weapons are an important part of the discussion.
“There’s a higher level of transparency expected than ever before,” said Glenn Katz, executive vice president of global sales for PepperBall, a California manufacturer. “That has made products that are lower in the force spectrum more popular. All products on the force spectrum have their place, but now people want more less-lethal options.”1
Of course, the most widely recognized technology in the less-lethal field is the Taser (a conducted energy device), but that one tool just scratches the surface of a wide and varied spectrum of possibilities.
According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), there are seven types of less-lethal devices: conducted energy devices like the Taser, directed energy devices, chemicals such as pepper spray, distractions including lights and noise, vehicle-stopping technologies, barriers, and blunt force devices.2
