French CRS in riot control gear, with helmets ready

Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians that are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. The Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS (Republican Security Companies are the riot control forces and general reserve of the French National Police. Formal Social control of behaviors include things such as Laws and codes that a society abides by Riots are a form of Civil disorders characterized by disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of Violence, Vandalism or other A demonstration is an historically and geographically common form of Nonviolent action by groups of people Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used less-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds. Less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, or more recently compliance weapons are weapons intended A club (also known as cudgel, baton, truncheon, night stick, and bludgeon) is among the simplest of all weapons

For the last several decades, riot control officers have also used tear gas, pepper spray, plastic bullets, and electric Tasers. A lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (from lacrima meaning "a tear " in Latin) (commonly referred to as tear gas) is a Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from " Oleoresin Capsicum " OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum The plastic bullet is the name given to a type of Less-lethal projectile fired from a specialised gun used in Riot control A Taser is an Electroshock weapon that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD technology to cause neuromuscular incapacitation or NMI and strong muscle contractions In some cases, riot squads may also use water cannons, armoured vehicles, police dogs or mounted police on horses. A water cannon is a device that shoots a high- Pressure stream of Water. An armoured fighting vehicle ( AFV) is a military Vehicle, protected by armour and armed with Weapons Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged A police dog is a Dog that is trained specifically to assist Police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work Mounted police are Police who patrol on Horseback They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque Officers performing riot control typically wear protective equipment including: riot helmets, body armour, gas masks and riot shields. A ballistic vest is an item of protective clothing that absorbs the impact from gun-fired Projectiles and shrapnel fragments from explosion A gas mask is a Mask worn over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne Pollutants and Toxic materials Riot shields are lightweight protection devices deployed by Police and some Military organizations

Equipment

For protection, officers performing riot control will often wear protective riotsquad helmets and carry riot shields. Riot shields are lightweight protection devices deployed by Police and some Military organizations These are designed to protect the wearer from those dangers that come from direct melee and hurled objects. Melee (from the French mêlée meˈleː generally refers to disorganized Close combat involving a group of fighters To provide even greater protection, the protective equipment often provides ballistic protection. If tear gas or other riot control agents are to be used, gas masks may also be worn. A gas mask is a Mask worn over the face to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne Pollutants and Toxic materials

One of many additional concerns is to prevent people in the crowd from snatching officers' sidearms, which may be stolen or even used against the police. Sidearm is a method of throwing an object in which the arm swings parallel to the ground and the palm of the hand points towards the target In a very heavy crowd, the officer may not be able to see who is responsible for snatching a weapon, and may not not even notice that it has happened. For this reason, riot police may have holsters with positive locking mechanisms or other extra means of retention, if their agencies are in a position to afford such tools. A holster is an unspecified yet specialized article of Clothing or a device worn to hold or restrict the undesired movement of an item such as a Handgun or other However, this can be a trade-off that increases the amount of time needed to draw the sidearm in an emergency.

The initial choice of tactics determines the type of offensive equipment used. A tactic is a conceptual action used by a military unit of no larger than a division to implement a specific mission and achieve a specific objective or to advance toward a The base choice is between lethal (e. Deadly force is defined as the force in which a person uses causing or that a person knows or should know would create a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily harm g. 12 gauge shotgun) and less-lethal weaponry (e. A shotgun (also known as a scattergun) is a Firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number Less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, or more recently compliance weapons are weapons intended g. tear gas, pepper spray, plastic bullets, Tasers, batons, and other incapacitants). A lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (from lacrima meaning "a tear " in Latin) (commonly referred to as tear gas) is a Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from " Oleoresin Capsicum " OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum The plastic bullet is the name given to a type of Less-lethal projectile fired from a specialised gun used in Riot control A Taser is an Electroshock weapon that uses Electro-Muscular Disruption (EMD technology to cause neuromuscular incapacitation or NMI and strong muscle contractions A club (also known as cudgel, baton, truncheon, night stick, and bludgeon) is among the simplest of all weapons An incapacitant is a substance or device that is used to incapacitate individuals temporarily The decision is based on the perceived level of threat and the existing laws; in many countries it is illegal to use lethal force to control riots in all but the most extreme circumstances.

Special riot hand weapons include the wooden or rubber baton ; the African sjambok, a heavy leather or plastic whip, and the Indian lathi, a 6 to 8-foot long cane tipped with a metal blunt. The sjambok or litupa is the traditional heavy Leather whip of South Africa, sometimes seen as synonymous with Apartheid but actually Lathi ( Devanagari: लाठी is an ancient armed martial art of India. Vehicle-mounted water cannons may serve to augment personal weapons. A water cannon is a device that shoots a high- Pressure stream of Water. Some water cannons allow police to add dye to mark rioters or tear gas to help disperse the crowds. A dye can generally be described as a Colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied [1].

In major unrest, police in armoured vehicles may be sent in following an initial subduing with firepower. An armoured fighting vehicle ( AFV) is a military Vehicle, protected by armour and armed with Weapons Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged Occasionally, police dogs or mounted police are deployed. A police dog is a Dog that is trained specifically to assist Police and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work Mounted police are Police who patrol on Horseback They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque At least in Western countries, it is less common to use police dogs in modern riot situations. This is because police dogs can become too vulnerable during riots, as crowds restrict the dogs' mobility and put them at risk of attack from more than one direction at the same time.

Tactics

Mounted riot police used to disperse a crowd during protests in Edinburgh

The front-line officers in a riot control are often fully armoured and carry weapons such as batons, designed to be in direct contact with the crowd. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. These officers use force and intimidation to subdue rioters and subsequently allow less heavily armoured, more mobile officers to arrest people. In face of a greater threat, the riot police will be backed up with other officers equipped with riot guns to fire tear gas, rubber bullets, plastic bullets or "beanbag" rounds. A riot gun refers to a type of Firearm that is used to fire Less than lethal Ammunition for the purpose of suppressing Riots Riot guns may be A lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (from lacrima meaning "a tear " in Latin) (commonly referred to as tear gas) is a Rubber bullets are Rubber or rubber-coated Projectiles fired from Firearms They are usually non-lethal, unless fired at short range but The plastic bullet is the name given to a type of Less-lethal projectile fired from a specialised gun used in Riot control The flexible baton round is the trademarked name for a "bean bag round" a type of Shotgun shell used for semi-lethal apprehension of suspects

As a less aggressive step, mounted police may first be sent into the crowd. Mounted police are Police who patrol on Horseback They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque The might and height offered by the horse are combined with its training, allowing an officer to more safely infiltrate a crowd. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Usually, when front-facing a riot, officers slowly walk in a line parallel to the riot's front, extending to both its ends, as they noisily and simultaneously march and beat their shields with their batons, to cause fear and psychological effects on the crowd.

The French CRS's tactics against a long demonstration march is to attack it at several points and chop it into segments, rather than to merely try to block it at its front end. The Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS (Republican Security Companies are the riot control forces and general reserve of the French National Police. A demonstration is an historically and geographically common form of Nonviolent action by groups of people Since the advent of artillery, straight roads have been of notable importance in city defense and control. Upon coming to power, Napoleon III built great avenues, referred to as anti-riot streets, into the troublesome quarters of Paris. Napoléon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (full name Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 9 January 1873 was the first President ^[1] The wide straight roads also allowed for cavalry charges to subdue rioters.

Research

Research into weapons that are more effective for riot control continues. Netguns are non-lethal weapons designed to fire a net which entangles the target. Netguns are non-lethal weapons designed to fire a net which entangles the target A net, in its primary meaning comprises fibers woven in a grid-like structure Netguns have a long history of being used to capture wildlife, without injury, for research purposes. A netgun is currently in development for less-than-lethal riot control. Less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, or more recently compliance weapons are weapons intended Pepper-spray projectiles are a projectile weapons that launch a fragile ball which breaks upon impact and releases an irritant powder called PAVA (capsaicin II) pepper. A pepper-spray projectile, also called a pepper-spray ball, pepper-spray pellet, or pepper ball is a Projectile Weapon made up of A projectile is any object propelled through space by the exertion of a force which ceases after launch A weapon is a Tool used either in Hunting, or attack or defence in Combat for the purpose of subduing enemy personnel or to destroy enemy weapons Nonivamide is an Organic compound and a Capsaicinoid. It is an Amide of Pelargonic acid and Vanillylamine. The launchers are often slightly modified . 68 caliber paintball guns. The term caliber or calibre designates the interior Diameter of a tube or the exterior diameter of a wire or rod Paintball is a sport in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with dye-filled breakable oil and gelatin paintballs usually shot from a carbon dioxide or compressed-gas

Stink bombs are devices designed to create an extremely unpleasant smell for riot control and area denial purposes. A stink bomb or stinkbomb is a device designed to create an unpleasant smell. Area denial weapons are used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing an area of land Stink bombs are believed to be less dangerous than other riot control chemicals, since they are effective at low concentrations. Sticky foam weapons are being tested, which cover and immobilize rioters with a gooey foam. The most general definition of foam is a substance that is formed by trapping many gas Bubbles in a Liquid or Solid.

Low frequency sound cannons are weapons of various types that use sound to injure or incapacitate subjects using a focused beam of sound or ultrasound. Low Frequency or LF refers to Radio Frequencies (RF in the range of 30 kHz&ndash300 kHz Sonic and ultrasonic weapons (USW are weapons of various types that use sound to injure incapacitate or kill an opponent Sound' is Vibration transmitted through a Solid, Liquid, or Gas; particularly sound means those vibrations composed of Frequencies Not to be confused with Supersonic. Ultrasound is cyclic Sound pressure with a Frequency greater than the upper While described as "non-lethal", they can still kill under certain conditions. Less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, or more recently compliance weapons are weapons intended Active denial systems (ADS) are a non-lethal, directed-energy weapon developed by the U.S. military. The Active Denial System (ADS is a Non-lethal, Directed-energy weapon developed by the U Less-lethal weapons, less-than-lethal weapons, non-lethal weapons, non-deadly weapons, or more recently compliance weapons are weapons intended A directed-energy weapon ( DEW) is a type of weapon that emits Energy in an aimed direction without the means of a Projectile. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States The ADS directs electromagnetic radiation, specifically, high-frequency microwave radiation, at a frequency of 95 GHz, which causes a burning sensation on the subject's skin. Electromagnetic radiation takes the form of self-propagating Waves in a Vacuum or in Matter. The hertz (symbol Hz) is a measure of Frequency, informally defined as the number of events occurring per Second. Dazzler lasers are directed-energy weapons that use intense light to cause temporary blindness or disorientation of rioters. A dazzler is a type of a Directed-energy weapon employing intense visible light usually generated by a Laser ( laser dazzler) A directed-energy weapon ( DEW) is a type of weapon that emits Energy in an aimed direction without the means of a Projectile. Blindness is the condition of lacking Visual perception due to Physiological or Neurological factors

See also

• CS gas
• Non-military armored vehicles

French National Police water cannon

Tear gas

Riot control forces wear shields and helmets in order to protect them from projectiles

French Mobile Gendarmerie in riot control gear, with helmets, shields, gas masks and a shoulder-fired grenade launcher for firing tear gas canisters

References

External images
	Riotsquad in formation, watercannon in background. A water cannon is a device that shoots a high- Pressure stream of Water.
	Riotsquad gasmask
	Small image of 4 riot batons