Defense Technology Rubber Ball Blast Grenade - Minneapolis Police

A blast ball, also known as a tear gas ball, rubber ball grenade, sting ball grenade, or stinger grenade, is a ball-shaped, rubber coated,

less-lethal Non-lethal weapons, also called nonlethal weapons, less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, compliance weapons, or pain-inducing weapons are weapons intended to be less likely to kill a living target than convention ...

grenade A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a Shell (projectile), shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A mod ...

designed for

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...

and

riot control Riot control is a form of public order policing used by law enforcement, military, paramilitary or security forces to social control, control, disperse, and arrest people who are involved in a riot, unlawful Demonstration (people), demonstration ...

applications. A blast ball is similar to a

stun grenade A stun grenade, also known as a flash grenade, flashbang, thunderflash, or sound bomb, is a Non-lethal weapon, non-lethal explosive device used to temporarily disorient an enemy's senses. Upon detonation, a stun grenade produces Flash blindness, ...

in that, when detonated, it generates a loud noise and bright light; however, it also releases a

chemical irritant Irritation, in biology and physiology, is a state of inflammation or painful reaction to allergy or cell-lining damage. A stimulus or agent which induces the state of irritation is an irritant. Irritants are typically thought of as chemical age ...

(usually pepper gas or

tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the Mace (spray), early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the ey ...

) and occasionally also rubber pellets or fragments. Blast balls are often used by

riot police Riot police are police who are organized, deployed, trained or equipped to confront crowds, protests or riots. Riot police may be regular police officers who act in the role of riot police in particular situations, or they may be separate unit ...

to keep protestors back or separate "casual" rioters from "hardcore" instigators. They can also be used by

police tactical units The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citizens ...

close-quarters combat Close-quarters battle (CQB), also called close-quarters combat (CQC), is a close combat situation between multiple combatants involving ranged (typically firearm-based) or melee combat. It can occur between military units, law enforcement and Cr ...

to incapacitate suspects as a less-lethal and less-destructive alternative to actual grenades, which are generally unattainable by civilian law enforcement. The use of blast balls in riot control is controversial. Proponents argue they are less harmful than traditional riot control agents or physical force, while opponents argue they are used indiscriminately and are capable of harm.

Application

Blast balls can be used against aggressive crowds during situations in which rioters significantly outnumber

police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

prison guards A prison officer (PO) or corrections officer (CO), also known as a correctional law enforcement officer or less formally as a prison guard, is a uniformed law enforcement official responsible for the custody, supervision, safety, and regulation ...

. In this application, they are intended to frighten away and disperse "casual" rioters, or those who have been "sucked into" the contagion of the crowd, allowing police or prison guards to separate them from, and engage with, the remaining "hardcore instigator" element. One typical deployment of blast balls occurred during the

2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot On the evening of June 15, 2011 in the Downtown Vancouver, downtown core of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a sports riot, riot broke out almost immediately after the conclusion of the Boston Bruins' victory over the Vancouver Canucks in ...

and was described by a

Vancouver Police Department The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) () is the police force in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several police departments within the Greater Vancouver, Metro Vancouver Area and is the second largest police force in the provinc ...

officer: Blast balls can also be used to create "negative stimulus" by detonating in areas toward which police do not want the crowd to move, creating a herding effect.

Manufacturers

Blast balls are marketed by AMTEC Less-Lethal Systems, Combined Tactical Systems, and Defense Technology, among other manufacturers. Blast balls manufactured by AMTEC weigh 212 grams and contain either 14 grams of OC gas or 12 grams of CS gas.

Safety

The use of blast balls as a riot control measure is controversial. Opponents argue that blast balls are used indiscriminately against peaceful protestors and that they are capable of causing physical harm. Proponents and police argue blast balls, when used properly, are less harmful than traditional riot control measures such as pepper spray, tear gas, or

baton Baton may refer to: Stick-like objects *Baton, a type of club *Baton (law enforcement) *Baston (weapon), a type of baton used in Arnis and Filipino Martial Arts *Baton charge, a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people *Baton (conducti ...

strikes, which would have to be resorted to without blast balls. In 2015, a Seattle woman sued the

Seattle Police Department The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is the principal police force, law enforcement agency of the city of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is responsible for the entire city except for the campus of the University of Washington (which is und ...

(SPD), alleging shrapnel from a blast ball penetrated her leg. The SPD denied her claims, alleging that tests show that a blast ball detonated at contact range against ballistic gel fails to produce trauma or tearing. In 2020, a judge found the SPD in contempt for frequent use of blast balls while attempting to quell the

George Floyd protests in Seattle The city of Seattle experienced protests over the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and 2021. Beginning on May 29, 2020, demonstrators took to the streets throughout the city for marches and sit-ins, often of a peaceful nature but which also devol ...

, finding that they were used "when no immediate threat to the officers' safety or public property could be identified".

References

{{reflist, 30em Non-lethal weapons Grenades Articles containing video clips Rubber products

Application

Manufacturers

Safety

See also

References