16. STUN GRENADES Description: Stun grenades, also known as “flashbangs” and “distraction” or “disorientation” devices, are explosive devices that can be either hand-thrown or weapon-launched. Upon detonation, they emit extremely loud noise and/or bright flash(es) of light. The casing on some stun grenades has several circular cut-outs, to allow the sound and light from the explosion through. Ridges protruding from the casing or flat sides of some hand-thrown stun grenades limit the movement of the devices following detonation. Other types move around and have multiple explosions, causing sound and bright flashes. Some types also disperse chemical irritants. Monitors can distinguish between hand-thrown grenades and launched cartridges through the presence of a visible fuse and pin on hand-thrown grenades prior to deployment. The grenade body can be metal, plastic, rubber or waterproof cardboard. Intended purpose: Stun grenades were originally designed as a training aid, to simulate explosions, and later becoming tactical munitions for use by military special forces personnel during room clearance or hostage situations, and their use for these purposes was also adopted by law enforcement special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams. Stun grenades have become more widely used by law enforcement personnel for crowd-control purposes in some countries. Stun grenades are designed to emit a deafeningly loud noise upon detonation, intended to temporarily disorientate those in the immediate vicinity. They also emit a bright flash of light, intended to induce temporary blindness, for a period of several seconds. Grenade/cartridge cases should be designed to split, rather than fragment, to reduce the danger of injury, but some explode and produce high velocity fragments. The intensity of the noise and flash emitted varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some stun grenades emit multiple loud bangs and/or flashes, and some also dispense chemical irritants, inert smoke or multiple rubber balls or other projectiles.