Non-lethal weapons offer law enforcement officials the capacity to apply force gradually, reducing the situations in which the use of firearms is required.
A wide range of products allow the police to act in a balanced way before the necessity of imposing respect to the Law. Thus, only equipped with firearms, the policeman faces two alternatives: do nothing or use the revolver, pistol or even in some cases, the machine gun. It is easy to notice the unsuitability of these instruments in most incidents.
It is fundamental that the policeman have efficient means to act in defense of the law. Between verbal warning and the use of firearms, multiple possibilities are offered by non-lethal weapons. Lachrymatory grenades, pepper sprays, controlled impact ammunitions or moral effect grenades, smoke grenades are some examples of extremely efficient non-lethal weapons.
This perspective of the gradual use of force was evidenced in the 8th Congress of the United Nations on Prevention and Treatment of Delinquents. In the “Basic principles on the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officials”, approved on September 7th, 1990, the UN recommended the adoption of non-lethal weapons in public safety actions, with the purpose of reducing to the minimum the use of means that cause permanent injuries or death, i.e., the use of firearms is restricted to situations in which non-lethal means are insufficient for neutralization of the law breaker or for the self-defense of operating military or police forces.
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