Riot shield
Encyclopedia
Riot shields are lightweight protection devices deployed by police
and some military
organizations. Most are a clear polycarbonate
, though some are constructed of light metals with a view hole. Riot
shield
s are almost exclusively long enough to cover an average sized man from the top of the head to the knees. Some riot shields are designed to be bullet resistant against low velocity handgun
and shotgun
ammunition, but most are not. They are generally intended to be used in riot control
, to protect the user from shrapnel, thrown projectiles, and splash from various weapons such as a Molotov cocktail
.
Riot shields are used in almost every country with a standardised police force and are produced by many companies. Many riot shields are constructed from transparent high-impact plastic to enable the bearer to see incoming thrown objects, so the shield can quickly be positioned to deflect them away from the user's body.
Riot shields can come in various shapes, including:
Handle arrangements include:
A type that must be held in both hands does not let the user use a baton or gun in the other hand.
Riot shields are commonly used for protection from thrown objects or blunt/edged weapons, and not firearms.
Ballistic shield
s are commonly known by the brand names "Body Bunker" and "Baker Batshield".
The extremely lightweight "Baker Batshield" ballistic shield
is popular for police patrol first responders utilizing progressive "Immediate Action Rapid Deployment
" (IARD) tactics when approaching high powered handgun, shotgun or sub-machine-gun threats.
"Body Bunker" ballistic shields are opaque with a small clear armored sight window and commonly have a bright light mounted on the frontal surface. Bunker shields are not normally used by riot police but more often tactical SWAT
teams as they are bulky, heavy, and designed to be used during slow methodical operations where there is a higher risk of the officers being shot at.
try to clear a room quickly and decisively. For example one member would smash the door open with a battering ram
, then step aside as the first team member wielding the shield entered the room and protected the door. The other team members would enter behind him and take control of the room.
tactics vary between different police and military forces the world over. Generally riot shields are intended to protect the user from thrown objects and projectiles and interlinked with others to form a physical barrier against rioters/protesters etc. However, they are also used to push protestors back, and in some cases can be used as short range weapons against threats to the shield bearer.
There have been cases of demonstrators imitating police shield tactics, as in the image on the right. The people in the image on the right have most likely divided road safety barrels, put handles on them, and covered the top edge with foam pipe insulators.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
and some military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
organizations. Most are a clear polycarbonate
Polycarbonate
PolycarbonatePhysical PropertiesDensity 1.20–1.22 g/cm3Abbe number 34.0Refractive index 1.584–1.586FlammabilityV0-V2Limiting oxygen index25–27%Water absorption – Equilibrium0.16–0.35%Water absorption – over 24 hours0.1%...
, though some are constructed of light metals with a view hole. Riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
s are almost exclusively long enough to cover an average sized man from the top of the head to the knees. Some riot shields are designed to be bullet resistant against low velocity handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
and shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun 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 of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
ammunition, but most are not. They are generally intended to be used in riot control
Riot control
Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
, to protect the user from shrapnel, thrown projectiles, and splash from various weapons such as a Molotov cocktail
Molotov cocktail
The Molotov cocktail, also known as the petrol bomb, gasoline bomb, Molotov bomb, fire bottle, fire bomb, or simply Molotov, is a generic name used for a variety of improvised incendiary weapons...
.
Riot shields are used in almost every country with a standardised police force and are produced by many companies. Many riot shields are constructed from transparent high-impact plastic to enable the bearer to see incoming thrown objects, so the shield can quickly be positioned to deflect them away from the user's body.
Varieties of riot shields
- Round. A common size is 2 feet diameter.
- Rectangular with rounded corners, curved in the horizontal cross-section to shed thrown objects. A common size is 20 or 24 inches by 3 feet. Some are tall enough for the bottom edge to be put on the ground.
- The same, but also curved in the vertical cross-section at the top and bottom.
- There is a type of shield which is curved horizontally the "wrong" way, i.e. concave forwards. These are for handling an uncooperative prisoner or suspect in a cell or small room.
- Some shields are "ballistic", i.e. strong enough to resist firearms fire.
Handle arrangements include:
- A common type is two large vertical handles at the same level: the user puts an arm (usually the left arm) through the arch of one handle and holds the other handle.
- This image shows another type: the middle of the shield is built-up at the back, with two valleys crossing in X shape, and a grab handle in a hollow at the top end of each valley, and a forearm-restrainer arch astride each valley below the crossing. The user puts one forearm along one of the valleys, grasping the handle at its top. (This allows use with either arm.) This spreads the load of a heavy impact on the shield front more effectively across the user's forearm. (For two-handed use, the other hand could grasp the unused forearm-restrainer arch.)
- A tall rectangular riot shield can have three handles: the first type of two handles, and also a small third lower handle for two-handed holding if a firmer grip is needed (e.g. for pushing rioters or demonstrators back).
A type that must be held in both hands does not let the user use a baton or gun in the other hand.
Riot shields are commonly used for protection from thrown objects or blunt/edged weapons, and not firearms.
Ballistic shield
Ballistic shield
A ballistic shield or tactical shield is a hand-held shield that is capable of defending the user from handguns, shotguns and submachine guns. Less common are heavier and thicker rifle-protection shields that are mounted on wheels for ease of mobility...
s are commonly known by the brand names "Body Bunker" and "Baker Batshield".
The extremely lightweight "Baker Batshield" ballistic shield
Ballistic shield
A ballistic shield or tactical shield is a hand-held shield that is capable of defending the user from handguns, shotguns and submachine guns. Less common are heavier and thicker rifle-protection shields that are mounted on wheels for ease of mobility...
is popular for police patrol first responders utilizing progressive "Immediate Action Rapid Deployment
Immediate Action Rapid Deployment
Immediate Action Rapid Deployment is a police tactic where first responders, typically regular officers, actively confront a developing high-risk crisis...
" (IARD) tactics when approaching high powered handgun, shotgun or sub-machine-gun threats.
"Body Bunker" ballistic shields are opaque with a small clear armored sight window and commonly have a bright light mounted on the frontal surface. Bunker shields are not normally used by riot police but more often tactical SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
teams as they are bulky, heavy, and designed to be used during slow methodical operations where there is a higher risk of the officers being shot at.
Tactics
Ballistic shields
In a dynamic entry situation, a team of special police, such as SWATSWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
try to clear a room quickly and decisively. For example one member would smash the door open with a battering ram
Battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times and designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates...
, then step aside as the first team member wielding the shield entered the room and protected the door. The other team members would enter behind him and take control of the room.
Riot shields
Riot controlRiot control
Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
tactics vary between different police and military forces the world over. Generally riot shields are intended to protect the user from thrown objects and projectiles and interlinked with others to form a physical barrier against rioters/protesters etc. However, they are also used to push protestors back, and in some cases can be used as short range weapons against threats to the shield bearer.
There have been cases of demonstrators imitating police shield tactics, as in the image on the right. The people in the image on the right have most likely divided road safety barrels, put handles on them, and covered the top edge with foam pipe insulators.
Construction
High impact riot shields are often made using an RlCb30 constructor (Resistible light and Compactible Barrier constructor) this is effectively a polymer loom which knits together many layers of fibre. This creates a highly impenetrable layer, resistant to almost all small arms fire. The latest models of the RlCb30 are often used to make light aircraft parts as the RlCbL13 can be used to form almost any polymer into any shape.See also
- Riot control
- Ballistic shieldBallistic shieldA ballistic shield or tactical shield is a hand-held shield that is capable of defending the user from handguns, shotguns and submachine guns. Less common are heavier and thicker rifle-protection shields that are mounted on wheels for ease of mobility...
- Flying wedgeFlying wedgeA flying wedge is a configuration created from a body moving forward in a triangular formation. This V-shaped arrangement began as a successful military strategy in ancient times when infantry units would move forward in wedge formations to smash through an enemy's lines...