Why Do Police Carry Batons?

A baton (also known as a truncheon or nightstick) is a roughly cylindrical club made of wood, rubber, plastic, or metal. It is carried as a compliance tool and defensive weapon by law-enforcement officers, correctional staff, security guards and military personnel.

Are police batons effective?

Also, a baton is a non-lethal weapon because it does not inflict a permanent injury to the victim. Thus, you can carry them anywhere due to their non-lethal nature. Finally, they can be used straight away. Hence, the bottom line is that batons are effective as self defense weapons.

Do all police carry batons?

They're still considered by many to be among the most useful and reliable tools carried by police officers." ... "Televised images of the police force using their batons on minorities gave it a bad rap, and today, straight wooden batons are no longer standard issue in most jurisdictions."