Concepts of Nonlethal Force: Understanding Force from Shouting to Shooting

by Charles Sid Heal

Overview

•    Is it ever justified to use lethal force to prevent nonlethal force from being used?
•    What is the difference between unreasonable force and excessive force?
•    If nonlethal weapons are more prevalent, why isn’t the use of lethal force diminishing?
•    Why do agencies with the strictest policies for using canines frequently have higher dog bite ratios than others?
•    What is the difference between 1st and 2nd order effects regarding injuries from nonlethal weapons, and why should it matter?

Most of these questions originated with students attending the U.S. military war colleges, where the author has taught nonlethal force for more than two decades. This short and tightly focused book examines the knowledge, experience, planning, and decision-making necessary to safely and effectively use nonlethal force. It provides strong, and even irrefutable, arguments and describes the challenges and explains the rationale for why one option is preferred over another. Hence, this is not so much a “how-to” book as a “why” book. Sid Heal has substantial personal experience in using, developing, defending, and teaching the many facets of nonlethal force and writes in the first-person not as a scholar to a student but rather “peer to peer.” The book is written for people with “skin in the game,” who personally suffer the consequences of mistakes and misfortune. Readers can expect trenchant and frank answers. Extensive endnotes for teachers, consultants, and those more scientifically inclined are provided for reference and further research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781590566350
Publisher:	Lantern Publishing & Media
Publication date:	10/20/2020
Pages:	190
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Charles “Sid” Heal is a retired Commander from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department with nearly 33 years of service in law enforcement, nearly half of which has been spent in units charged with handling law enforcement special and emergency operations. Sid has earned three college degrees and is a graduate of the California Peace Officer’s Standards and Training, Center for Leadership Development, Command College, and the FBI National Academy. He is the author of Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer, and An Illustrated Guide to Tactical Diagramming, as well as more than 120 articles on law enforcement issues. He has appeared on numerous television newscasts and documentaries, and been quoted in many periodicals and newspapers. Additionally, he has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences in Canada, Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Israel, Brazil and Argentina, as well as throughout the United States.

Table of Contents

Introduction and Acknowledgments ix

Part I The Reasons for Nonlethal Force Options 1

1 Nonlethal Confusion and Controversies 3

2 A Brief History 11

3 So! Why Bother? 19

4 Using and Justifying Force 25

5 Injuries from Nonlethal Force Options 33

6 Assessing and Managing Risk 41

7 Voodoo Science and the Media 51

8 The Search for the Magic Bullet 57

9 Classifying Nonlethal Options 65

Part II Nonlethal Force Categories 73

10 Nonlethal Impact Weapons 75

11 Chemical Agents 85

12 Mechanical Options 95

13 Electrical Options 103

14 Biological Options 109

15 Directed Energy 117

16 Conclusions 127

Glossary of Terms 131

Notes 141

Index 163

About the Author

About the Publisher