ABSTRACT
Tools that can be used by law enforcement ocers to stop, control, and restrain individuals while causing the least possible harm to the individual and, at the same time, not increasing the danger to the ocer are now generally available to contemporary law enforcement ocers; however, there has been an ongoing debate in the law enforcement profession for the past few years over what to call these tools. Some have suggested these tools be called weapons, while others believe they should be referred to as devices under a theory that devices sounds better to the public than weapons. Some have argued that the law enforcement profession should call these less-lethal weapons, others less-than-lethal weapons, and still others nonlethal weapons under a theory that what these weapons are called can be important in the event of civil litigation over their use. e authors know of no such litigation occurring. Whether these tools of law enforcement are called devices or weapons or are called less-lethal, nonlethal, or less-than-lethal weapons does not really matter. All of these descriptors mean the same thing-any device that, when used in the appropriate manner, is designed and intended to bring a suspect under control without inicting death or serious injury. For purposes of the discussion in this chapter, we will call these tools lesslethal weapons, because that has emerged as the most commonly used descriptor. Examples of less-lethal weapons include pepper spray, pepper balls, water guns, nets, batons, beanbags, rubber projectiles, and conducted energy devices (CEDs).1
