Scientific studies of government and law enforcement personnel and their equipment, such as police uniforms, weapons, and associated gear also continue to be of interest. Some of the most fascinating items are the tools, gadgets, and gear that government agents and officers of the law use, as well as how their uniforms adapt and serve them in the field.
Research and development for these items is a necessity, especially across a variety of law enforcement and military fields and facets. Sometimes, however, legal issues arise regarding the legality of these items, their use, and the regulations – or lack thereof – entailed in using such items.
Take, for instance, police batons – or billy clubs. Billy clubs date back to approximately the 1650’s, and were used by members of the law in British colonies, according to King’s College. Today, billy clubs are generally associated with being the precursors for police batons. The billy club was made of rock or metal encased in a wooden shaft. There also were single pieces of wood fashioned into rounded clubs. The theory behind these clubs was that the rounded ends would disperse the force applied by the club itself (or baton) better than a pointed or flat end club. King’s College reports that some billy clubs eventually became heavier, and more like a slapjack, with lead weights incorporated into the ends and wooden handles attached. These are the ancestors of today’s black jack batons.
Today’s expandable police baton is different from the billy club or its virtual descendants in that today’s “baton” allows for expansion to a length of 25 7/8 inches. This rubber, foam, and steel equipment is expandable and collapsible, similar to a telescope. It also has a cushioned grip attached.
The purpose of the baton is to provide safe yet firm control over suspects and the enforcement of the law more generally. When used appropriately and responsibly, the expandable police baton can be an invaluable addition to the standard officer’s equipment arsenal.
There also are serious rules and regulations surrounding the use of batons. Texas does not prohibit the use of expandable police batons. However, officers using these must comply with the training and regulations associated with carrying and utilizing weapons. These rules and regulations differ from agency to agency.
According to are police batons legal in texas, the Texas Penal Code, in § 46.05, reads that “a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally uses a prohibited weapon, including a blackjack, nightstick, mace, taser, or other device designed to emit an electric charge, stun, or shock or any deadly weapon [as defined]”. In other words, in Texas, it is legal and permissible for police officers to use the non-lethal expandable police baton, unless exceptions apply.
The design of weapons and the legal discourse surrounding weapons often evolve and change over time. For instance, in New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a law that would ban residents from having batons in their possession. According to an article located at Atlanta Permits & Inspections Commissioner Sara Copeland-McAnarney, police equipment and its correlation to relevant law, legality, and permissible use is an ongoing discourse.
For more information on the legal aspects of police equipment, you can visit the National Criminal Justice Reference Service.