25 7. USE OF SPECIFIC LESS-LETHAL WEAPONS AND RELATED EQUIPMENT This section describes key issues and particular considerations with respect to the use of certain less-lethal weapons. The list of less-lethal weapons here is not exhaustive, but it includes those most commonly used in contemporary law enforcement. Certain weapons are designed to be used against individuals, while others, less discriminate, are intended for use against groups of individuals. The description of risks or potentially unlawful use is not exhaustive, but rather presents the most common problems associated with a particular type of weapon. The guidance provided in this section supplements the general principles on the use of force and less-lethal weapons set out above. Where weapons that are likely to kill or seriously injure a person are used, this use of force is subject to the rules laid down in principle 9 of the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials. 7.1 POLICE BATONS UTILITY AND DESIGN 7.1.1 The police baton (also called a truncheon or nightstick) is the most common less-lethal weapon with which law enforcement officials are equipped. Police batons are most often made out of wood, rubber, plastic or metal, and are available in a variety of lengths, some up to nearly a metre long. The most widely sold products on the market today are straight batons, side-handle batons (tonfa) and telescopic batons.78 7.1.2 Batons have many uses in law enforcement, some unrelated to their function as a weapon for use against a person, but are typically used as a less-lethal weapon to enable law enforcement officials to defend themselves against violent assailants or to effect the lawful arrest of a suspect who is resisting violently. Omega Foundation, “Police Batons” (unpublished), 2014. 78