Weapons, Personal Protection Equipment, and Use of Force

Aspects of physical and personal security are all around, from trips out of the country, to the mailbox, or even to the courthouse.

Physical and personal security is one of the most debated safety concerns affecting numerous places and facilities. Developing a cohesive security plan requires awareness, education/training, identifying potential threats and creating countermeasures. Procedures, needs, and standards of physical and personal security change daily, and some may not even be noticeable to common society.With events, such as September 11th police agencies and citizens now face other challenges concerning protecting the public as well as themselves. As the dangers of the world continue to lend surprises, the degree of social policy in the area of physical and personal security will continue to develop to a level where protection is guaranteed to citizens.

This paper will addresses the use of weapons, personal protection equipment, and force related to physical and personal security. WeaponsAs one can clearly see, the problem or issue concerning guns and bombs is the innocent lives that are affected. With the issue of guns and bombs, one can see that people are not equipped when these incidents occur because the individuals that commit these crimes pre- meditate before committing the crime and act on impulse without giving any warning or demonstrating suspicious acts prior to it happening. So how does one protect themselves from these types of weapons? When one thinks about weapons the mind mostly goes to guns.Creating a sense of power this weapon is the ideal form of personal security.

Its popularity has sparked several debates on gun control and a person’s ability to carry a weapon as personal security. “The common-sense changes to the background check program will stop guns from getting into the hands of criminals and the mentally disturbed, while preserving Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens” (Courtney, 2013). As the different types of firepower become easily available one would almost need a weapon or type of personal protection equipment.Personal Protection Equipment Personal protection is not solely the use of weapons, but also the use of protective equipment.

Most of the known personal protection equipment is worn by military and police officers but it is not uncommon to own items such as bullet proof vests. There are various forms of protection equipment available such as: armored vehicles, gas masks, and firearms. Protective equipment such as gas masks, perimeter fences, and bullet proof vests are more common. Each piece of equipment protects a part of the body.Proper use of the equipment listed could mean the difference in life or death and should be used with the proper education.

Gas masks, according to Katz and Caspi, “Gas masks and escape hoods are indispensable kinds of protective equipment that are the only means of countering an attack using gas or biological weapons” (2003). Not only do the masks protect from gaseous fumes and filter air for small children. Katz and Caspi discuss: Perimeter Security Systems, Intrusion Detection and Monitoring Systems as means of personal protection equipment.Some reliable forms of perimeter security include, fences that combat climb overs, underground ditches, and cut troughs. There are also fences with built in sensors that provide the local authorities of a security breach.

This form of equipment relies on the connection between camera monitors and computer systems and software. Bullet proof vests only protect if the right vest is worn. This is true even when worn by professionals. Statistics show that "between 1992 and 2001, 643 police officers were killed in the line of duty accumulate a 52%" for the lack of an appropriate vest (2003).While these vests seem like the ideal form physical protection states such as Kentucky “possession is not prohibited, but probation or parole is denied to a person convicted of committing certain violent crimes while wearing body armor and carrying a deadly weapon” (“Gun Laws,” 2003).

Even with these types of personal protection equipment there are limitations in which they must be used. Use of Force Also referred to as self-defense the use of force is a right extended to a person to protect one’s self.It states in Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks” (Morsink, 1999). Understanding the law is very important when assessing the use of force for personal protection. In the case of People v.

McManus it was stated that “Defense of oneself or one's relations, deemed a natural, inalienable right at common law, justified the use of force, making even homicide lawful” (People, 1986).If one is unsure of the local law in relation to force they should leave it to the authorities. Self-defense of one’s self against an attack Conclusion . This paper will addressed the use of weapons, personal protection equipment, and force related to physical and personal security. When addressing personal protection is it important to identify what you are comfortable with.

Having options that you can be confident about allows one to better prepare them to be ready for most situations. One topic this paper didn’t cover was international protection. Most of the practices mentioned can be altered to accommodate travel safety.