Brian Wolfe Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 To today's youth the police truncheon probably seems almost medievil when compared with pepper spray, stun guns (tasers) and extendable batons (asp). Before we relegate the truncheon to some barbaric past in policing we should look at the purpose of the truncheon as it relates to ite modern counterparts. A truncheon is used to incapacitate a person commiting a crime or attempting to resist arrest. That's pretty basic and also pretty well what pepper spray, the taser and asp are employed to do. Many tend to conjure up images of the cop beating a criminal about the head with his truncheon. While there may be some truth in this, however, if the officer knows how to fully use his truncheon he can render the old lady (only kidding) to a state where they are more manageable and "cooperative". This is due to those winderful pressure points so generously distributed throughout the human body. A good example of one of these points is in the area to the side or the leg above the knee and below the hip, also known as the outter thigh. This area is home to one of my personal favourite targets, the femoral nerve. One shot with your truncheon, or by driving your knee into this area, renders the leg completely useless. While the effects are only temporary the criminal is not going anywhere after this area has been introduced to the application of force. There are several other great little pressure points just begging to be explored with the application of the truncheon but this is not the place to mention them. My point is that there are alternatives to applying blunt force trauma to the cranium. So, while there are new gadgets on the market the good old truncheon can still be a very good "friend" while convincing someone to come along peacefully. Anyone who has used pepper spray and not paid attention as to whether you were up wind or downwind of the suspect will appreciate one of the other alternatives. The taser seems like a good idea but then again it can be rather high profile when used. Especially so when the recipient of in the neighbourhood of 50,000 volts is flopping around on the ground like a fish out of water. Every "Do Gooder" within range will have this documented on their cell phone and the video on You tube within minutes. At times it is all a matter of preceptions. I'm not sure if everyone knows this but some manufacturers of the asp (extendable baton) have designed them so that when deployed with the flick of the wrist/arm action that the sound is that of a shotgun being cocked. It certainly gets "thier" attention; lets hope that is always your attention. Before we get to the three truncheons, which are really the subject of this post, I would like to pose a question for the reader; a mini quiz just for us. What does "Taser" stand for? Please no cheating by looking on Google and the like. I'll answer the question at the end of the weekend (Sunday) if no one gets it by then. The photo below is of three truncheons from my collection. From front to back they are, Metropolitan Police, one made by Haitt & Co. and one from the Leicestershire Police. I'll describe each in more detail in the following posts to this thread. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 The first truncheon for description is from the Metropolitan Police. I would expect Mervyn to be familiar with this perticular style of truncheon. It is 16 inches in length and 1 1/4 inches wide. This one is marked with M (crown) P for the Metropolitan Police and dates to around the 1960s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 This next truncheon dates from around the end of WWII to the 1950s. The length is 15 inches with a width 1 1/2 inches. The end of the pommel is stamped HAITT & CO. BIRMINGHAM. Haitt is a well known manufacturer of police equipment and regalia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 The last truncheon of this series is from the Leicestershire Police. While this is not marked it was sent to me by a former police offier who served there and he stated this was one of his own truncheons. He also freely used the term "crap" when describing the truncheons of the 1960 - 1970 peroid from which this is an example. As you can see the wood grain is quite evident and, I think, quite attractive. In the last photo to this session you will see why, even though it my "look" like a nice truncheon, the term "crap" may be right on the mark. The length is 15 1/2 inches with a width being 1 1/2 inches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 This final photo of the Leicestershire Police truncheon shows what can happen when the wood grain is not straight from tip to pommel. The "figured" grain of this truncheon allowed the grain to "tun out" just above the handle causing it to crack when applied to a target. This could be a case where an attempt to save money could have put the officer at risk by suppling cheap and faulty equipment, or "crap" as my friend Jes would say. I hope you like this little collection and I further hope you will add to this post if you are able. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spasm Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Teaches All Smartarses Elementary Respect ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spasm Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 (edited) Thousand Amps Stuns Enthusiastic Rioter ? Edited September 30, 2011 by Spasm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spasm Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 This Almost Stops Everything Rusting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spasm Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Treats All Salesmen Equally Roughly ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickLangley Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 I seem to remember reading that the TASER acronym is based on the inventor's name with the ER standing for Electric Rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Hi Nick, You're on the right track. Hi Spasm, While not on the right track you have provided this post with some great humour. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spasm Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Trevor Arthur Smith's Electric Rifle :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mervyn Mitton Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Good post Brian. People tend to think that all old Police Truncheons are heraldically painted - however, from arould the 1880's this was phased out and the heavy imported ones were introduced. Initially there were three wood used - ebony - from Africa; Teak - from the Far East ; and Lignum Vitae from South America. All three are very dense and sink in water, Mine was Lignum Vitae and I remember breaking a car window as it tried to run us over - the truncheon was studded with glass. I rubbed it down - re-polished and it was like new. I still have it. The Rosewood that you show with the crack, was the last type made using wood. They were light and split very easily. I saw one that had been thrown at a car and it had split into two pieces. Useless. The ones you show - the Met. is Lignum - the other one teak , and of course the rosewood. You mention Tasers - invented by the Los Angeles Police to deal with P.C.P. users who when taking the drug became very strong. The other version - which does exactly the same, is the stun gun. The taser of course has the darts and wires - the stun gun has little prongs that you touch the person with. I gave a number out as Christmas presents two years ago - they are an ideal defence weapon. I have an excellent one that is a powerful torch and if used as as a stun gun has 1,000,000 volts dc. The noise and blue sparks when you touch the button would frighten anyone off. People bring them back to England from Continental holidays. I would caution that they are illegal under any circumstance and if you are caught with one you will undoubtedly appear in Court. Does the US and Canada have the same law ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 Hello Mervyn, These are not allowed in Canada except for use by the police. The greatest threat to the public is that criminals would use them if they were allowed to legally be sold to the general public. I know that the U.S. has experienced these problems as well as with the mis-use of pepper spray, which for the most part, is prohibited in Canada for use by the public. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Bates Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 A very interesting and informative thread Brian. Where did you source the stands for the truncheons? Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 Hi Stuart, The stands are from my own shop and are made of white oak. Regards Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 The answer to the question: What does the name taser mean? Spasm was all around the answer and I have a feeling he knows but is just having fun with us. Well done Spasm. The developer of the taser was John Higson Cover (1920 - 2009). When he was a young boy he read a lot of adventure stories featuring Tom Swift. Tom developed an electric rifle which was non-lethal. When Mr. Cover developed his device this story came to mind so he decided to name his invention after the action hero, therefore taser stands for: Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Shepherd Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Hi Brian, this is one that should please you. It is stamped SCC for Staffordshire County Constabulary. Made from Lignum Vitae. Note the different Grip. Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Wolfe Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Hello Ian, I'm in awe. Staffordshire no less! Love it, thanks for posting it and making me envious. Regards Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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