Peaceful protest is a fundamental freedom, and while no one in law enforcement would deny anyone’s 1st amendment rights, we all agree that no one has the right to riot. Sadly, protests aren’t always peaceful, and when an angry protest gets out of control it falls to law enforcement to protect lives and property
Protect Yourself
Rule number one when preparing for or responding to a riot is to protect yourself. You cannot protect innocent bystanders or prevent damage to property if you are injured. The common dangers you’ll likely face will be improvised projectiles (rocks, bricks, bottles, etc.) and blunt impact weapons (improvised clubs, sports equipment, etc.). These are the minimum risks you must prepare for.
The bare minimum equipment for riot response should include:
- A riot helmet with face shield and a riot shield. A helmet provides critical protection for the head, face and eyes while the shield covers most of the torso.
- A riot shield can also be used to push back aggressive individuals and when used collectively can form a shield wall to block rioters.
Many agencies have decided to phase out riot batons. Though they’ve largely been supplanted by riot shields, batons they are still issued and can be useful. A mix of shields and batons might be a good option for agencies that don’t have the budget to issue shields to all their officers.
Head to Toe
While the helmet and shield are the bare minimum, a well-prepared agency should provide full body protection for officers trained in riot response. Full body protection should include:
- A helmet (of course)
- Chest protector
- Shoulder guards
- Elbow pads
- Knee pads
- Shin protectors
While each of these items are available separately, it’s recommended to purchase them together as a full suit. This is often more economical, and more importantly it ensures that each component works together.
Pepper Spray
It’s also advisable to provide officers with:
- Gas masks
- Large (MK 9) cannisters of pepper spray
While gas masks protect officers from their own pepper spray or other less lethal chemical deterrents, they can also mitigate some of the effects of smoke from the burning materials that often come with riots. Pepper spray of course is the go-to tool for discouraging rioters. It’s fast, effective and safe.