Non-lethal weapons are an alternative to lethal force. It is intended to enhance the police's ability to deter or prevent hostile and threatening behavior by citizens.
Under the 1033 program, the U.S. Department of Defense sends surplus military equipment to law enforcement agencies. According to federal data, since August 2022, this program has provided police with at least $760 million worth of equipment, including $5.3 million worth of ballistic shields, gas masks, stun guns, tear gas canisters and other special equipment that can be used. used to combat riots. During the summer protests, police used non-lethal weapons to combat looting, vandalism and violent behavior by protesters.
Police: the beginning has begun
The word “police” is very familiar to modern people, but almost no one knows that it has quite deep historical roots. This term was first used in Ancient Greece, it was derived from the Greek pronunciation of the word “city” - “polis”. In those days, “polity” meant a social structure, and only over time did the word itself and its meaning change.
The police structure took shape only in the first half of the nineteenth century, when a resident of London organized a special group that was supposed to maintain order in the city and detain minor offenders to bring them to court. Only from this moment, one might say, the history of the police began.
Belt magnet for easy recharging
The Magnetic Belt Clip is a chic pants accessory that will hold your pistol, allowing you to quickly reload with one hand if your other hand is unavailable due to injury, firing a second pistol, or fending off an attacker. Probably even Batman would not refuse such a thing.
So what's the problem here?
Take a closer look at the video - this guy points a freshly loaded gun at his groin.
The demo looks pretty safe. But what if you're in the middle of a real firefight and have already lost the use of your arm? One extra move and you've given yourself an impromptu vasectomy.
Another function of the tool is to simply hold things such as handcuffs, keys and other small items. But even here, danger awaits the carrier of this device: it is not difficult for the detainee to grab your own knife and hit you somewhere closer - in the stomach, for example.
In the end, it’s good to hold things on a magnet while a person stands still; when a chase or fight starts, everything that was on the belt will end up on the ground.
USA: the history of the emergence of the police department
The US police owe their appearance to the Texas Rangers. They became the first volunteers in the country to band together to defend their territories from Indian attack. The first group consisted of ten people and was just developing a clear structure and hierarchy.
A little later, the rangers began to take part in various military clashes within the country, where they showed their best side. This served as a reason to transfer to them powers to protect borders and internal law and order. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the Rangers had become an official agency, incredibly popular among young Americans.
The name "police" was first used in 1917. Then a unit was formed in New York that was supposed to deal with law enforcement activities and had a wide range of responsibilities. New York's experience was successful and many states began to organize similar units. A few years later, the US police force was fully formed.
Interesting facts about the US police
Despite the fact that in almost every American action movie an actor portrays a police officer, we know almost nothing about how this department functions. Surprisingly, the US police do not have a unified structure within the country. Each state forms its own police departments and imposes its own rules. They can differ radically in different regions of the country, which makes it difficult for police to find criminals. After all, various controls interact poorly with each other.
Despite the fact that in the United States men and women have equal rights, women were hired as police officers only at the beginning of the twentieth century. Moreover, the lack of uniform did not bother anyone; the first female police officer independently developed a version of the uniform, which was used as a model for almost fifty years.
Russian police officers, who have opportunities for rapid career advancement, differ significantly from US police officers. They often retire with the rank assigned upon entry into service. Titles earned during years of service in the US police are canceled upon transfer to another police department. At a new workplace, the employee is forced to re-confirm his qualifications in order to possibly get a promotion someday.
US Police Ranks
A US citizen, upon joining the police, receives the rank of officer. This is the lowest category, for which you do not even need to have a higher education. With a successful combination of circumstances, a beginner can grow into a detective. This is considered a more prestigious rank, but its status is not much different from that of an officer. The detective does not have any privileges and cannot boast of a large salary. The title of detective is divided into three categories; they are assigned depending on length of service, but have no serious differences.
If a detective has worked in the police force for at least five years, he receives admission to the exam for the rank of sergeant. The exam is extremely difficult; about 95% of applicants fail it. A similar scheme applies to obtaining the following ranks - lieutenant and captain. The only nuance is the fact that only an American with a higher education can become a lieutenant. This is a major barrier to promotion for many police officers.
Further ranks do not depend on length of service; they are awarded only in the presence of serious personal achievements. The highest rank is Chief of Police. If we are talking about the whole state, then you can rise to the rank of sheriff.
Underbarrel laser that “safely” blinds
The Z-RO is an under-barrel device that not only makes your pistol look like a weapon from a sci-fi movie, but also gives it much the same functionality. It blinds your opponent for 10-15 minutes with a laser, allowing you to handcuff him while he tries to figure out who turned off the lights. Perfect for riots, drunken fights, and getting revenge on the person who can't stop looking at their phone at the movies.
Now about the declared safety. The product description claims that the laser will “cause Z-RO (pronounced zero) damage to the retina and cornea”... This sounds pretty weird, but that's not even the weirdest part.
Imagine the situation - a drunk man with a knife, a policeman blinds him for 20 minutes. What do you think the blind man will do, given that the last thing he saw was a gun pointed at him? Most likely, he will begin to behave even more aggressively than before. Keeping him in this state may become even more difficult.
American police uniforms
The US police uniform does not have a uniform standard. Each state has the right to independently develop the design of the uniform. Of course, you won't notice this in American action films. Almost all the police there are dressed the same, which is incredibly far from reality. The only thing that all servants of the law have is the badge of an American policeman. It gives broad rights and opportunities, so you carry it with you even outside of work hours.
In many states, the form was developed about a hundred years ago and has not changed since then. Although in recent years there has been a trend towards change and experimentation in the United States, which has further moved the police away from a single uniform standard.
"Skunk": special forces are going to make everyone smell
Riot control tools must walk a fine line between "moderate effect" and "damn dangerous." At first, the idea of creating a smelly non-lethal weapon seemed to fit perfectly into this framework. Play on one of the most powerful human senses - smell. When everyone and everything starts to smell terrible, it will be harder for people to continue protesting.
However, there are several significant disadvantages:
"Skunk" has a few problems beyond its name. According to one journalist who experienced the effects of “skunk”, the smell can be compared to “dirty diapers mixed with an old corpse that has been lying in the sun for a long time.
The smell lingers for several days and causes a huge pile of complications. Spraying the product in a store may discourage looters from stealing things, but you've also ruined the store's inventory and made it impossible to operate for a week. The stench for several days makes it easy to identify the rebels. And don’t forget about the element of humiliation, because it really exists. In September it was reported that American police departments were stocking up on skunk. Imagine the reaction of society when, in the United States, mostly white police officers force a mass of African Americans to smell like a beached sperm whale.
Especially when the smell comes from a vehicle that looks like it came straight out of a dystopian movie.
Even if people are grateful that the protests have stopped, they are unlikely to be happy about the prospect of living and working with the smell of rot for a week.
US police service weapon
The lack of unity in the country's police departments has also affected the weapons of the American police officer. Each state approves the list of weapons at the regional level. But in a few words, the scheme for choosing a service pistol is as follows:
- at the state level, a list of types and brands of firearms that must be used by police is approved;
- every police officer has the right to use two types of pistols - mandatory and optional;
- the weapon of choice can be replaced with another over time.
Most often, the service weapon of American police officers is the Colt. It belongs to the mandatory types. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, this barrel has been used by American troops and police departments. The design of the pistol is still considered classic.
The second pistol that has won the hearts of American police officers is the Glock. This model is one of the latest developments and features a shortened barrel. The magazine holds fifteen rounds and has high firepower.
America's weapon of choice
The United States of America is one of the most armed states in the world. And in this case, we are talking not only about the well-equipped armed forces: for 315 million Americans there are almost 270 million firearms. Thus, in terms of their number and popularity, weapons are far ahead of even cars, because almost 90 out of a hundred people own them. Initially, it is necessary to note the fact that weapons have always been one of the most important elements of the American economy. This fact was once again confirmed at the beginning of this year, when it was determined that the government had allocated almost $50 million to the development of the weapons industry.
Although the sale of firearms in the United States is regulated, controls vary in severity and are specific to each individual state. By and large, every American citizen who has reached the age of majority, has no criminal record, problems with the law or mental illness, can quite freely purchase a weapon. There is also a so-called special category in the country, which includes automatic weapons. However, in order to purchase it, you additionally need to obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, pay a tax of $200 and submit fingerprints. But there is one “but”: you can only buy those types of automatic weapons that were produced before 1986.
Pistols and revolvers are in greatest demand among Americans. Almost 58 percent of the population owns this type of weapon. At the same time, it is very difficult to name the obvious leader among short-barreled weapons, since several models are in great demand and popularity, including Ruger LCP, Colt M1911, Glock and Smith & Wesson.
The most modern among these models is the Ruger LCP, a lightweight super-compact nine-millimeter pistol that is designed for concealed carry. It went into serial production in 2008. This model has a number of advantages: polymers are used in its design, which significantly affects the weight (the gun weighs only 270 grams). The length of the model is only 13 centimeters. Despite such modest dimensions, the pistol is quite powerful due to the high muzzle velocity. In addition, it can easily be placed in a handbag or leg holster. The magazine holds 6 rounds. The Ruger LCP pistol surpasses even the famous Colt in popularity.
The Colt M1911 pistol was created in 1911 in America. Before its appearance in the country, self-loading pistols were already very popular, but they were not very powerful. The army continued to use revolvers, which were not distinguished by their high rate of fire and shooting accuracy. Therefore, a competition was announced to create a new self-loading pistol, in which two companies took part - Savage and Colt. After lengthy testing, the pistol developed by John Browning, the Colt M1911, was adopted by the American armed forces. Beginning in 1913, this model began to be supplied to the Marine Corps and Navy. Soon the design of the pistol became classic and was used in many models. By the way, Colt M1911 pistols were also used in Tsarist Russia, in the gendarmerie corps and the police. They entered the country through Great Britain, marked “English order” on the left side of the frame.
Colt M1911 pistols are currently the standard issue weapon of the US military. In addition, they are still used by law enforcement agencies, in particular the police and the FBI. The total number of pistols of this model produced is approximately 2.7 million barrels.
Glock pistols are recognized as one of the best in the world, and they quickly gained popularity in the American market. In 1988, especially for the civilian market, as well as for various types of special services, a compact version of the Glock 17 model, the Glock 19, was released, which gained no less popularity not only among the police, but also among the civilian population, who planned to use it for concealed carry and self-defense or sports shooting. This model differs from its predecessor in a shortened barrel, equal to 10 centimeters, and a handle that holds a magazine for 15 rounds. Despite its small size, the pistol has high combat and operational characteristics: firepower, reliability, ease of wearing, and ease of use.
Today, the Glock 19 pistol is in service with the police, special forces and armies of many countries around the world, in particular the Hong Kong police, the French gendarmerie rapid response team, and the Israeli general security service. However, this model is most widespread in the civilian market, since this particular pistol is recognized by many experts as the best weapon for self-defense.
The oldest of all the most popular models of short-barreled weapons is the Smith & Wesson revolver. Its production began back in 1899. Despite this, it is produced in various modifications to this day. This revolver is one of the most numerous, and the number of models produced currently reaches almost 9 million samples. The revolver itself is one of the most accurate and reliable in shooting. This model was constantly in great demand in the civilian market and among sports shooters. The revolver has a classic design with a folding cylinder for six rounds, made of weapon-grade steel with blued treatment. In 1941, the Smith-Weson company began producing revolvers for police. This model was called the “Military and Police Model”. Such revolvers were supplied to the armed forces. When in 1957-1958 the company began to use numbers instead of verbal designations, this model was called the Smith & Wesson Model 10, which is still produced today.
For a long period of time, this model was in service with the American police. Its further development was the appearance of models 14 and 15. Model 10 is most suitable for concealed carry, since it does not have a protruding rear sight. In the ranking of the most popular American short-barreled weapons, the Smith & Wesson revolver ranks second after the Colt 1911 pistol.
While pistols are typically intended for concealed carry, which can be carried on the streets or carried in the glove compartment of a car, shotguns are used in most cases for home defense or hunting.
Shotguns have the greatest stopping power among all weapons available to the American population. Among such weapons, the Remington 870 smoothbore shotgun, which was introduced in 1950, is recognized as the undisputed leader. This is a pump-action shotgun that was originally produced as a general purpose shotgun for hunting. This shotgun has been and is still being produced in various modifications. In the 1970s, a military modification of the gun was adopted by the American army. This model had a seven-round magazine, a barrel guard and a special protective matte coating.
In addition, the shotgun is in great demand among police officers. A model was developed for them that allows them to shoot bullets and buckshot, as well as special ammunition, in particular rubber traumatic bullets and gas grenades.
Depending on the caliber and model of the gun, the magazine capacity can range from three to eight rounds. From its inception to the present, Remington has sold more than ten million shotguns. In 2009, the Remington 870 pump-action shotgun was recognized as the most successful model in the company's history.
For those who enjoy hunting, pump-action shotguns are not enough. They need high lethality over a long distance. The Thompson/Center Arms Encore 209x.50 Magnum shotguns are very popular among hunters. They are loaded from the breech of the barrel. The barrel length is only 66 centimeters, while the initial bullet speed is 671 meters per second. The advantage of this model is the ability to equip it with optical sighting devices, as well as a fairly high lethal range, which is 180 meters. But it should be noted that such a gun is quite expensive.
A very interesting fact is that the most popular long gun in the United States last year, according to sales results, was the Mosin 1891/30 rifle. It appeared back in 1891 in Russia. It was a three-line rifle, for which a 7.62 mm caliber cartridge was also developed. In those years, three variants were adopted, which, however, differed little from each other: infantry, dragoon and Cossack. Serial production began in 1893-1894 in Izhevsk and Tula. However, during the First World War, due to the fact that Russian industry could not cope with production, rifles had to be ordered from America. After 1917, a large number of rifles remained in the United States. They were sold on the civilian market or used by the military to train soldiers in marksmanship. The American models differed from the Russian ones; in addition to the markings, they also differed in the material of the stock - instead of a birch stock, a walnut stock was used. The Mosin rifle has been modernized several times. In addition, a model of a sniper rifle was created, which was used during the Second World War.
Despite the fact that this model of weapon was far from ideal, it coped with the functions assigned to it quite well: it was very simple and accessible to use even by poorly trained soldiers, cheap to manufacture, distinguished by reliability and durability, and had good ballistic qualities. Its firing range is about two kilometers.
Currently, despite the fact that the Mosin rifle was discontinued back in 1965, it is quite easy and simple to buy it on the Internet for a small amount.
In addition to pistols and rifles, semi-automatic rifles and carbines are also in considerable demand in America. Such weapons are very ambiguous. By and large, it differs from automatic versions only in magazine volume and rate of fire. In the mid-90s, some American states banned the sale of semi-automatic rifles equipped with magazines containing more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Despite this, if you really want to, you can purchase, quite legally, a magazine with a larger capacity if it was produced before the ban was introduced.
Carbines and assault rifles have a long firing range and lethality, so they are better than other types of weapons for shooting at shooting ranges or for hunting, but not for self-defense, since they have a low stopping effect.
Among all the assault weapons presented on the American arms market, the leadership belongs to the AR15 rifle. This is a self-loading rifle that has been produced since 1963. It goes on sale as a civilian weapon for self-defense. In addition, it is the standard weapon of police departments.
The rifle is a development of ArmaLite. It was initially assumed that it would become a promising assault rifle for the American army. However, in 1959, due to financial difficulties, the company sold the rights to the design to Colt. As a result, in the early 60s, the AR15 rifle entered service with the army under the name M16. The AR15 brand is a semi-automatic model that is produced for the civilian market.
Currently, several companies are engaged in the production of rifles, including ArmaLite, Bushmaster and Colt. The rifle is chambered for a standard NATO cartridge of 5.56 mm caliber, the effective range is about half a kilometer, and the muzzle velocity is 975 meters per second.
The second position in the ranking of the popularity of semi-automatic assault weapons among the American population is occupied by all kinds of copies of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. Many countries are engaged in their production, in particular, Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany, China, Poland, Romania, North Korea, Yugoslavia, Israel, Finland, Czech Republic, Sweden, India, and, of course, the United States of America. By the way, the original - the Kalashnikov assault rifle - has long become the most popular assault rifle in the world, and also the most widespread. The total number of Kalashnikov assault rifles and its copies sold worldwide is about 100 million guns.
However, Americans' love for various types of weapons may soon encounter great obstacles from the law. After repeated tragedies that increasingly began to occur in American schools, the government was seriously thinking about tightening the rules for the circulation of firearms in the country. In particular, we are talking about introducing additional checks when purchasing pistols, rifles and shotguns, as well as a ban on the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. All these measures are contained in the presidential program, consisting of 19 points.
Obama himself is confident that his program will cause fierce resistance from Congress, because the right to bear arms is enshrined in the Constitution. If this happens, the president will be forced to combat violence in America with direct orders.
There is also a danger that bans will fail simply because citizens are unwilling to voluntarily hand over the weapons they own, and any attempt to force them to do so could lead to an actual riot. On top of that, the Americans, expecting an imminent tightening of legislation, began to buy both weapons and ammunition. Thus, the civilian population now has even more weapons than before.
It is impossible to imagine America without weapons. But what can such a love for weapons lead to...
Materials used: https://lenta.ru/articles/2013/01/10/usguns/
What cars do US police officers use to patrol the streets?
At the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, American police attempted to create an autonomous vehicle. Such a “car” was insanely expensive and could not travel more than fifty kilometers. Not every state could afford such luxury.
Until the eighties, the US police tried different brands of cars. Many did not meet the list of requirements and could not work in harsh operating conditions. For the last thirty-six years, US police cars have been represented by Chevrolet and Ford brands. They make up more than eighty percent of the entire American police fleet.
The service life of such a car is on average five years. Before each shift, the vehicle undergoes a thorough inspection. In case of the slightest malfunction, the machine is removed from the shift and sent to the workshop.
Motorcycles on the streets of America
Motorcycles have had their place in America's police departments for over a century. Motorcycles first entered the fleet at the beginning of the twentieth century and immediately became the favorites of American police officers. Their use has a number of advantages:
- maneuverability;
- ability to develop high speed in the shortest possible time;
- low fuel consumption.
The requirements for two-wheeled vehicles are very strict. The motorcycle must have sound signals, a footrest and a mandatory windshield. There are quite a lot of models that correspond to this list, but most often the police use equipment from the Harley-Davidson and Honda brands.
We hope that in our article you found many interesting facts about the US police. Now you won’t be able to be misled by all sorts of TV series and feature films about the everyday life of police officers. After all, you have all the necessary knowledge to distinguish fiction from reality.
