Choosing The RCB
Before considering any other Less Lethal option for use within an agency, we must keep one thing in mind: The Baton was originally considered and used because of its ability to contain a suspect rapidly as an intermediate use of force option.
Let's face it, the reputation of the baton has been ruined in the last 20 years due to improperly balanced batons that have the majority of their weight in the handle which leads to multiple strikes. Law Enforcement has lost confidence in the effectiveness of the baton. So much so, some agencies have removed the baton from policy. Others require ANY expandable baton in their policy. In order to just meet policy, officers literally carry the shortest or lightest expandable baton KNOWING that they will never use their baton because it would only escalate an already bad situation.
It is not uncommon for agencies to go back and look at their UOF incidences and say, "We just don't use a baton any more." Of course not. No officer is going to use the LEAST effective LL option on their duty belt, again, KNOWING that it will be ineffective. The Baton industry has been ruined for the past 20 years due to improperly balanced batons making the baton a liability, rather than an important asset.
Most savvy agencies know that in order to minimize their liability, it's in their best interest to require at least two Less Lethal options. This helps justify a Lethal Force Incident if an OIS occurs.
With this in mind, we must look at the evolution of batons.
EVOLUTION OF BATONS
In the 50's & 60's law enforcement used the straight wood baton. It was very effective, however, it was not convenient because it banged on an officers leg on patrol or in the middle of a foot pursuit, or got left on a car seat because of its bulkiness.
The side-handle baton of the 70's & 80's required too much training to be effective. Agencies gave officers annual training only to find that six months down the road, officer's were a "walking liability" because they couldn't remember the various methods on how to use the side handle baton properly, therefore officers resorted to gross motor skills and used it like a straight stick. It was also too cumbersome to keep on the side of an officer at all times.
In the 1990's, expandable batons brought convenience to law enforcement. The benefit: The baton was able to stay on the officer at all times without it banging on ones leg or getting left in the car. A good concept. The disadvantage: For the past 14 years law enforcement has SACRIFICED Officer Safety and Effectiveness (the most important reason for carrying a baton to begin with), for convenience. Though many agencies gravitate toward the convenience of a light weight baton or a button that closes the baton conveniently, the most important reason for carrying a baton has been ignored! Many front line officers have gone back to a wood straight baton from other ineffective expandable batons, until these officers see the capabilities of the Peacekeeper Baton.
Enter the PEACEKEEPER Rapid Containment Baton or R.C.B :
Proven to be the most EFFECTIVE, DEPENDABLE and DURABLE expandable baton making it the best baton available.
The Peacekeeper RCB Baton offers significant benefits over existing batons.
1. Weight at the distal half (striking area) of the baton instead of in the handle for Rapid Containment!
2. Durable high quality, 3/4" machined steel that will not bend like other batons!
3. The ability to expand the baton in confined space by pulling on the tip of the baton!
4. A larger end cap to reduce laceration liability or impalement!
5. The ability to collapse your baton easily without continually driving it into the concrete!
6. Has a large patented joint lock design that reduces inadvertent collapsing!
7. The ability to break a vehicle window without the concern of bending your baton!
INDUSTRY CHANGING DESIGN
The Peacekeeper RCB offers more than just one or two features. The RCB is an industry-changing product, which addresses several serious issues that agencies are having with other batons.
EFFECTIVENESS AND RAPID CONTAINMENT
Until the patented design of the R.C.B. came around, most departments didn't feel that other expandables had the stopping power of the standard straight stick, but "Rapid Stopping Power" is what everyone wants these days.
The RCB has been specifically designed with the weight re-distributed in the striking area of the baton instead of in the handle. Putting the weight in the periphery of an arc equates to more kinetic energy transfer or “Stopping Power” with fewer strikes, rather than multiple strikes and welts which are developed from improperly weighted batons. The re-distributed weight design gives the officer a more competitive edge in a confrontation, regardless of size or gender. Since the Peacekeeper requires less effort to achieve higher impact, this "Force Multiplier" design may help offset the lack of training that an officer receives each year.
Many officers and agencies agree - You simply can't argue with physics!
The Peacekeeper Baton is appreciated most by the Veteran Officer or one that has utilized any other baton with poor results.
DURABILITY
In recent years, many agencies have been disappointed with the durability of most expandable batons. Slender Friction Lock Batons are known to bend on their first use. Push Button Mechanical Batons have up to 56 parts which require continual maintenance and repair making these products cost prohibitive. With the Peacekeeper RCB, bent batons and mechanical failure are essentially non existent since the RCB has only 10 parts within its robust design.
DEPENDABILITY
As with any product, a simple design and the K.I.S. method, (Keep It Simple) provides less chance for mechanical failure. That's why the R.C.B. is known as the heavy duty baton and is COP TOUGH! Due to our simple friction lock design, you can depend on our baton to stay expanded when necessary and collapse efficiently when ready. The R.C.B. has the largest friction lock surface area of any other expandable baton. This means that the baton will not collapse in the middle of an altercation like other expandable batons. There are no buttons or bearings which increase the chance of mechanical failure.
CONVENIENCE
Also, the obvious. having a Less Lethal option on an officer's side at all times is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. An expandable baton allows an officer to have a Less Lethal option available at all times and eliminates the possibility of leaving a baton on the car seat. Straight Stick or side-handle batons are too cumbersome to wear while riding in a vehicle. Chasing a suspect on foot and over obstacles is next to impossible with a 24" baton dangling from one's side.
COST EFFECTIVENESS
Compared to other Less Lethal products, the Baton continues to be the most Cost Effective Less Lethal option. There are no continuing cartridges, canisters, darts, batteries, or LL ballistics to continue to purchase, reload or inventory. Just ONE Baton for the life of the officer with our Lifetime Warranty.
This is why so many agencies are re-evaluating the Baton as a valuable Less Lethal option!
SIMPLE DESIGN & OFFICER SAFETY
The R.C.B. brings law enforcement back to the simple concept of the original straight stick. As heart rate and adrenaline shoot up in a confrontation, officers will rely on gross (simple) motor skills to defend them selves. In the heat of the moment, most officers will not remember or use complex techniques. The Rapid Containment capabilities of the R.C.B. reduce the chance of injury because the longer a confrontation continues, the greater the risk of injury to the officer and suspect alike.
SIMPLE TRAINING
The simple straight stick design allows for simplified training and better information retention. Simple techniques are taught in the opened and closed baton position. Many departments are getting away from the intensive training that is required to use side handle batons effectively and switching back to the simple methods of straight stick training, using the collapsible straight stick!
PROVEN DESIGN
The RCB is not a new product. The patented design of the RCB has been in many federal, state, county and municipal agencies for over eleven years. To date over 85,000 of these batons have been issued and this number is changing dramatically each week.
USE IN CONFINED SPACE
OC sprays can be used as an intermediate "use of force option" in open areas, however, in confined areas (cells, hallways, courtrooms, domestic violence areas), OC sprays or side handle batons cannot be used. Not having an effective intermediate option available is a huge liability to defend in court. The R.C.B. can be expanded with two hands in confined areas. This is why U.S. Navy Search and Seizure Teams, Coast Guard, metro and airport police have also approved this patented design.
INJURY LIABILITY
The end cap on the R.C.B. has a broader surface area than other expandable batons, (even the straight stick or PR-24), therefore laceration liability is reduced dramatically. As officers try to collapse traditional expandable batons, they develop burrs on the tip of their baton creating a lacerating weapon to a suspect. These sharp weapons also destroy valuable training equipment. Also, the longer a confrontation exist, the greater risk of injury to the officer as well as the suspect.
OTHER IMPORTANT BENEFITS
Because of the premium alloy in which the R.C.B. is manufactured, bending and breaking is next to impossible. Also, this premium alloy gives officers the ability to collapse their baton without driving it into the concrete in an obtrusive manner.
The information that you have just read addresses the typical problems that have been presented to us by training officers and administrators from around the country while using other batons. You can see why so many agencies not only approve the Peacekeeper Baton, but ELIMINATE all other batons from policy.
For 54 years, our staff has been dedicated to the safety of law enforcement officers in the production of our Effective, Durable, and Dependable products.
If you have any further questions or would like a baton for T & E purposes, feel free to call our office for details.