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Police carry either an ASP or baton, along with pepper spray, and a Taser with a firearm because they have to use a Force continuum. If someone is resisting, they're not going to shoot them but may whack them with a baton or use pepper spray.
And they get a LOT of training, hours and hours and hours. ASP or a baton is usually a felony for a citizen to carry, so you may want to check local laws. Plus if you use one on a bad guy, get ready to have it taken from you and used against you.
OMG, in Colorado? That's insane. Is it a felony to carry a hunting knife too?
The nice thing about an asp is that you can carry it in a small belt holster.
I'm a long time supporter of non-lethal methods of self defense, and while I do carry a semi auto at times in high crime zones it's not often. Weapons which will NOT cause permanent injury are my preference. The ASP or any expandable baton will most likely cause severe injury and requires you to get up close and personal, where as OC will not require you to be closer than 25', does NOT cause severe injuries and has minimal legal consequences (depending on your ordinances). Having been trained in the use of a large variety of weapons in the army and proficient with all of them, I still take issue with injuring someone to the point of never being able to work again, or supporting their family.
In my area, the people you would have to protect yourself against wouldn't be supporting a family anyway. We recently had a contractor killed after a few teens robbed him at gunpoint while he was at his work truck. The contractor handed over his phone and wallet, and they killed him anyway. He was going to work on that house and then head to his small son's birthday party. Anything other than a gun in most large urban cities simply won't be enough. Thugs don't play by your rules, so you shouldn't limit yourself.
In my area, the people you would have to protect yourself against wouldn't be supporting a family anyway. We recently had a contractor killed after a few teens robbed him at gunpoint while he was at his work truck. The contractor handed over his phone and wallet, and they killed him anyway. He was going to work on that house and then head to his small son's birthday party. Anything other than a gun in most large urban cities simply won't be enough. Thugs don't play by your rules, so you shouldn't limit yourself.
Well in a scenario such as you mention here, then yeah I would have been armed too or anyplace I'm not familiar with. In my past years I have yet to see a punk kid who could take a solid punch from a large man in a confrontation, without eating the pavement. Drawing my weapon would still be a last resort unless I was facing a deadly threat where disarming the subject wasn't likely.
Illegal to carry:
That is the most interesting portion of this thread, to me. I don't know whether they are illegal or not, and it has not been that I haven't looked. I even asked my son in law, the attorney,and his answer was, "It depends".......
Evidently, IF the police officer determines what you are carrying has no other function other than as a weapon, he can arrest you and make a case. So I could carry a car antenna around with me and I'm fine. But an extendable baton, with I would use like a car antenna to whup the holy tar out of some unfortunate bad guy, is - or can be - illegal.
I know a trucker who was arrested when the officer saw his tire thumper - for sale at all fine truck stops, and marked "Tire Thumper" - and said it was a Billy Club.
Other than very special situations pocket knives in most configurations seem to be acceptable because it can always be claimed as a tool to open boxes, etc.
So, for my wife I have placed a Ball Peen hammer (a small one) in her car so that if she ever feels threatened or needs to defend herself she will have something to swing. I would not want to defend myself against a terrified woman swinging a ball peen hammer and screaming her head off.
She said she took it with her once when she had to walk from A to B. Made her feel good with that wooden handle sticking out of her purse, she said.
I'm waiting for a disintegration raygun to be developed. No fuss, no muss.
Short of that, I guess some good training in delivering a quick, debilitating blow with your bare hands, or being able to just sprint away and escape the need for a confrontation would do the trick.
I was informed by a cop in CA, if you want to carry a bat carry a glove, problem solved. Want to carry a knife, I do sometimes, which is good because I love to peel apples, don't you?
As efficient as battling a solar flare with a popsicle!
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