The Anderson Police Department in Northern California announced it will start equipping its officers with nunchucks instead of batons as nonlethal means of fighting crimes.
According to the Los Angeles Times and TV station KRCR, Anderson — with a population just below 10,000 — has a per capita crime rate more than double that of the state of California. The department found a solution in connecting essentially two batons with a nylon cord, giving its 20 officers the option of lassoing their perps.
“These were designed … to be more of a control weapon,” Sgt. Casey Day told ABC7 KRCR. “They work very good as an impact weapon. But we try to emphasize a control tool over impact.”
Day says he hasn’t used his nunchucks yet, but understands “the value and safety they bring to me.”
Of course, proper nunchucking isn’t a common skill set this side of the Pacific, so APD officers will be required to pass a 16-hour training program before they're released onto the Anderson streets.
Officers will also be allowed to opt-out, should they prefer more standard methods of battery.
Watch the full report here.
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