Non-Lethal Use of Force

If a criminal surrenders, lethal force is not necessary.

Confrontations, especially between police and criminals, can get violent quickly. Both police and citizens should know when it is necessary to resort to lethal force and what to do when it can be avoided.

Purpose

Police often use non-lethal force to subdue a criminal.

The purpose of non-lethal use of force tactics is to subdue an enemy without killing him. Police have specialized weapons, such as batons or taser-guns, as well as training that enables them to restrain a criminal without using deadly force.

Riots

Riot police use shields to protect themselves.

Riots that involve violent protesters require police to use non-lethal methods in order to clear the scene and make arrests. Officers use riot shields and tear-gas guns to maintain order during riots or public demonstrations that get out of hand. Demonstrations at the G-20 Summit in Toronto are an example of police using non-lethal means to control an unruly crowd.

Dangers

Using non-lethal force doesn't always guarantee that a person won't be killed. In 2005, a college student was killed by a pepper pellet gun during a riot that broke out after a Boston Red Sox game. Police officers opted to use the non-lethal pepper pellet gun in order to control the crowd, but one of the pellets hit a college student in the eye, leading to her death.

References

• Time: A Brief History Of Riot Control
• Use Of Force: Introduction: The Basic Issue
• Global Security: Use of Force And Riot Control Measures
• NPR: Training Faulted In Death by 'Non-Lethal' Weapon

Resources

• The Early History Of Non-Lethal Weapons