| An alternative to the use of deadly force is the development of less than lethal weapons. By providing less than lethal technology, an agency provides officers with an assortment of options to triumph over suspect resistance. Regardless of what weapon is used, officers must understand the situations in which it may be used, and exactly where it is placed on the use-of-force continuum. The purpose of this study is to describe the use of a number of less than lethal weapons and to review both their implications on the number of deaths during police arrests due to deadly force, the factors influencing the confrontations and how such has effected policy formulations. This study is descriptive in nature and will assess the extent of implementation and impact of less than lethal weapon technology and provide policy recommendations for law enforcement administration in regards to less than lethal force technology use. |
