Use of force continuumA use of force continuum is a standard that provides law enforcement officers and civilians with guidelines as to how much force may be used against a resisting or compliant subject in a given situation. In some ways, it is similar to the U.S. military's escalation of force (EOF). The purpose of these models is to clarify, both for law enforcement officers and civilians, the complex subject of use of force.
WeaponA weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or tool that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law enforcement, self-defense, warfare, or suicide. In a broader context, weapons may be construed to include anything used to gain a tactical, strategic, material, or mental advantage over an adversary or enemy target.
Military policePolice organization part of the military of a stateSouth Korean Military Police at the Joint Security Area in 2007.Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state that usually is assigned to enforce military law.
PoliceThe 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, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers encompass arrest and the use of force legitimized by the state's monopoly on violence.Conventional weaponConventional weapons or conventional arms are weapons whose damaging impact comes from kinetic, incendiary, or explosive energy. They stand in contrast to weapons of mass destruction (e.g., nuclear, biological, radiological, and chemical weapons).
Conflict escalationConflict escalation is the process by which conflicts grow in severity or scale over time. That may refer to conflicts between individuals or groups in interpersonal relationships, or it may refer to the escalation of hostilities in a political or military context. In systems theory, the process of conflict escalation is modeled by positive feedback. Conflict escalation can be modeled with game theory.
FirearmGun for an individualThe M16 rifle and the AK-47, two common firearms with significant influences on firearm designA firearm is any type of gun that shootsprojectiles using high explosive pressure generated from combustion (deflagration) of chemical propellant, most often black powder in antique firearms and smokeless powder in modern firearms. Small arms is a subset of light firearms that is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual.
AmmunitionAmmunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term Ammunition includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the parts of other weapons that create the effect on a target (e.g., bullets and warheads). The purpose of ammunition is to project a force against a selected target to have an effect (usually, but not always, lethal).
CombatCombat is a purposeful violent conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (not using weapons). Combat is resorted to either as a method of self-defense or to impose one's will upon others. An instance of combat can be a standalone confrontation or part of a wider conflict, and its scale can range from a fight between individuals to a war between organized groups.
LethalityLethality (also called deadliness or perniciousness) is how capable something is of causing death. Most often it is used when referring to diseases, chemical weapons, biological weapons, or their toxic chemical components. UseThe use of this term denotes the ability of these weapons to kill, but also the possibility that they may not kill.
KnifeA knife (pl.: knives; from Old Norse knifr 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools.MisnomerA misnomer is a name that is incorrectly or unsuitably applied. Misnomers often arise because something was named long before its correct nature was known, or because an earlier form of something has been replaced by a later form to which the name no longer suitably applies. A misnomer may also be a word that is used incorrectly or misleadingly.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.