Review of the Department of Justice's Use of Less-Lethal Weapons

Department of Justice (Department) Special Agents, Deputy Marshals, and correctional personnel may use less-lethal weapons when circumstances require use of some force, but use of deadly force would not be appropriate.1 The Department's law enforcement components - the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP); and United States Marshals Service (USMS) - use several types of less-lethal weapons. The only less-lethal weapons provided to FBI and DEA Special Agents are batons and pepper spray. In addition to batons and pepper spray, ATF, BOP, and USMS personnel can use less-lethal weapons that include "bean bag" shotgun rounds (bean bag rounds), baton launchers, and rubber projectiles