15. HANDHELD KINETIC IMPACT WEAPONS Description: Handheld kinetic impact weapons, also known as striking weapons, include batons and other clubs. They are usually made of rubber, wood, plastic or metal, and can be short or long (20 centimetres to 2 metres), telescopic, collapsible or side-handled. These are one of the most common types of less lethal weapons with which officers are equipped. There are three main types of striking weapons used by law enforcement officials: straight batons, which vary in length from 20 centimetres to 2 metres, with longer batons commonly marketed as “riot batons”; side-handle batons/tonfas, Which are straight batons with a handle on one side; and telescopic/extendable batons, which usually extend up to 2 or 3 times their retracted length and are typically made of aluminium. When striking weapons are used in the policing of an assembly, monitors should document certain distinguishing features, including the length, type of material, thickness and colour of the weapons, and the manner in which they are deployed (e.g., whether there are overhead strikes, which part of the body is targeted, and the number of strikes). Intended purpose: Handheld kinetic impact weapons are used by law enforcement officers to strike a person to cause physical pain or to threaten physical pain, in order to force them to comply or to deter them from an action. These should be used on larger muscle groups on the limbs but, even then, striking weapons can cause severe bruising, lacerations and broken bones. They can also be used defensively by law enforcement officers (e.g., to protect from blows by assailants).