Club (weapon) - Law Enforcement

Law Enforcement

Police forces and their predecessors have traditionally favored the use, whenever possible, of less-lethal weapons than guns or blades to impose public order or to subdue and arrest law-violators. Until recent times, when alternatives such as tasers and capsicum spray became available, this category of policing weapon has generally been filled by some form of wooden club variously termed a truncheon, baton, nightstick or lathi.

Conversely, criminals have been known to arm themselves with an array of homemade and often easily concealed bashing implements known colloquially as blackjacks, "saps" or coshes.

In addition, Shaolin monks and members of other religious orders around the world have employed cudgels from time to time as defensive weapons.