Police Style Weapons
TELESCOPIC BATONS
Telescopic batons are extended by the inertia of a swing, or by a compressed coil spring, and lock in place. They vary greatly in quality, durability, and length. The best quality batons lock so securely in place they may be used to jab with. They are powerful weapons that can easily break bones. Too heavy to be simply dropped in a pocket, they require either a belt holster or “over-the-shoulder” rig.
ASP makes the world’s finest telescopic batons in a variety of lengths, weights, and finishes. It is the impact weapon of choice for law enforcement personnel, collapsing into a non threatening, “politically-correct” unit. Unfortunately, possession by civilians of this fine weapon is prohibited in many jurisdictions.
A similar weapon is the spring billy, sometimes called a “steel whip,” “snapper cosh,”or “Kiyoga,” (which was the brand name a popular version was marketed under) These are also telescopic, and are made of thick, tightly wrapped coils of spring steel rather than rigid tubing. They are typically rather short about 16″ fully extended. They will leave painful welts, but will not break bones or kill (unlike the infamous spring coshes used in the trench warfare of WWI).
CLUBBED FLASHLIGHTS
Aluminum multi-cell flashlights (such as those offered by Mag-Lite, Kel-Lite, and Streamlight) are often used in lieu of nightsticks by policemen. Unlike even the best quality wooden batons, a clubbed flashlight can smash cinder blocks into powder without incurring significant damage (if used correctly). Not only are clubbed flashlights both more effective and more useful than a billy club, but they are legal as well.
Multi-cell flashlights are available in either “C” or “D” width, with a capacity of between 2 and 8 batteries. The “C” width fits most hands best, and a capacity of 5 or 6 batteries is what most policemen tend to favor.
If you wish for your flashlight to appear less menacing, you can get one with a lower capacity (2 or 3 cells), possibly in a color other than black. A flashlight can be stuffed in a back pocket under one’s jacket, hung from a belt ring, or carried in one’s hand.
The collarbones, elbows, wrists, and knees make the best targets for this weapon. A blow to the back can shatter vertebrae, and a blow to the head can easily kill. The use of “maximum strength” batteries will significantly increase the flashlight’s mass. Using just 1 or 2 maximum strength cells at the end will add power to one’s swings.
STUN GUNS
Stun guns come in various sizes and types, including batons, gloves, and dart-firing “Tasers,” but the most commonly carried version looks like a narrow plastic box with a pair of prongs on one end which spark when a button is depressed. They are commonly sold for self defense.
We are told that the stun gun will drop a man to the floor unconscious. This is seldom the case. In order for it to be truly effective, it must be pressed against the assailant’s body and held in place for several seconds. . . this is not as easy as it sounds, as it involves wrestling and grappling with the assailant.
Quick shocks, of a second or less, will accomplish nothing. They will sting a little, and do not truly hurt unless the shock is administered to the face, throat, armpit, or groin. Stun guns will not deter a determined opponent, nor one invulnerable to pain due to intoxicants or frenzy, regardless of how well you use it. They are most frequently used by unscrupulous interrogators to elicit confessions from manacled suspects, as they are only effective when held in place for several seconds and leave only a pair of small red burns (which is why about a dozen states prohibit possession of stun guns by law enforcement personnel). They are the tools of torturers and rapists, effective only against weak victims, which is why they are widely prohibited. Stun guns do little more than provide a false sense of security, which is dangerous. Do not waste your money on one of these silly toys.
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