In Anderson, California, population 10,000, the police department has a unique tool to deal with violent suspects: nunchucks.
Sgt. Casey Day told KRCR-TV that the nunchucks are useful for situations requiring police to use force a suspect to the ground, but they can also be utilized for simple restraint. He said, “These were kind of designed with a different goal in mind to be more of a control weapon, but like I said, it’s not like we can’t use these as an impact weapon. They work really good as an impact weapon, but we try to emphasis a control tool over impact.”
The officers are trained to avoid hitting certain areas of the body with the weapon, instead focusing on a suspect’s hands, knees or wrists. Day said no officer has used nunchucks as yet.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the Anderson Police Department’s nunchucks were developed by retired Colorado police Sgt. Kevin Orcutt in the 1980s, and are comprised of a hard plastic connected by a nylon cord designed to wrap around wrists and ankles.
According to the Times, Day trains the Anderson officers, who must pass a 16-hour training program. The police departments in Anaheim, San Diego and Los Angeles have tried using nunchucks.
Roughly two weeks ago, an Israeli man using nunchucks helped thwart a Palestinian terrorist who had already stabbed a soldier on a Jerusalem bus.
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