Pasco Police adopt new less-than-lethal projectile launcher

PASCO, Wash.-- It's always easiest when a suspect in an investigation follows officer's commands so they can be detained in the least violent manner possible. But when a subject refuses to comply, or threatens the safety of officers and the public, police must find other ways of encouraging compliance.

The Pasco Police Department recently adopted a new tool, a 37mm, double-chambered projectile launcher known as The Deuce.

"It projects a flexible baton from the deployment platform to the target," said Sgt. Brian Vaught. "It's designed not to penetrate the skin, it's designed to provide pain compliance-- that's the idea. To change behavior from whatever it is that they're doing to a compliant behavior."

Earlier this month, officers received classroom and field instruction before adding the device to their arsenal of tools.

The Deuce can be used from a farther distance than a Taser, another less-than-lethal device officers have at their disposal to help bring subjects into compliance.

"With any of these pain-compliance tools there's risk. But we mitigate the risk through training and good decision making. You can expect that if we use the Deuce that there will be bruising. That is expected."

Sgt. Vaught says officers will try to aim toward the subject's legs in order to reduce the chances of causing head or other serious injuries.

Pasco Police assisted Kennewick Police officers on May 16th by using the Deuce to help take a suspect into custody during a stand-off with a domestic assault suspect who had set an apartment on fire and threatened officers with knives.