Report on the Third International Law Enforcement Forum: Minimal Force Options and Less-Lethal Technologies

• NCJ Number: 232752
• Date Published: February 2004
• Length: 197 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2004-IJ-CX-K040
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Award: Less-Lethal Weapon Technology Review and Operational Needs Assessment

Annotation

This report summarizes discussions and associated conclusions of the 2004 (Third) International Law Enforcement Forum (ILEF) on Minimal Force Options and Less-Lethal Technologies.

Abstract

The third ILEF has shown the extent to which law enforcement agencies from the countries represented (United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and New Zealand) are all adopting broadly similar approaches in the weapons and technologies they are using or testing; however, there are difference in the approaches to testing, evaluation, and system selection. The Forum addressed many issues related to less-lethal concepts, technologies, and their deployment. The delegates addressed less-lethal weapons (LLW) database development and resource sharing; effectiveness and injury potential; tactics and use; and common standards for development, testing, training, and operational use. This report lists the LLWs being used by many of the agencies to equip routine operational patrol officers and specialist tactical units. Among the 14 recommendations that emerged from the workshops and conference discussions were those that pertained to the development of an international consensus on LLW operational requirements; clear operational requirement for manufacturers; technology standardization; terminology standardization; development of ILEF standards for review by all ILEF members; the identification of desired effects and outcomes for LLWs; and descriptions and provision of measures of LLW effectiveness. Other recommendations pertain to the incorporation of psychological criteria into operational requirements, the sharing of information and data, medical data access, literature review, development/adaptation of an injury model, conflict management, and the development and promotion of the ILEF. Workshop and conference discussions are included in the report, along with special remarks and workshop presentation slides. Appended workshop and conference agendas, focus questions, attendee list, and LLW definitions and operational test criteria