Riot shield

carrying round riot shields during the 2011 England riots The Police Federation of England and Wales began lobbying for the introduction of riot shields following the 1976 Notting Hill Carnival riot, during which many officers were injured with thrown stones, bricks and bottles. At the time, riot shields were already common in Northern Ireland and mainland Europe; British forces deployed them during the Cyprus Emergency in the 1950s, French police used them during the May 1968 riots, and British forces had been using them in Northern Ireland since at least 1969. Riot shields were first used in England during the 1977 Battle of Lewisham. While the Metropolitan Police Service designed them to be a passive and defensive item only, New Scientist reported "the production of the shields [at Lewisham] was part of what can only be described as an extremely aggressive operation." Many protesters were deliberately struck with the shields. A police spokesperson stated that a police officer who feels threatened would strike with whatever he had in his hands, adding "I don't see how you can stop him using the riot shield to hit a person." ==Design and types==

Riot shields are typically made out of transparent polycarbonate between in thickness. Shields are designed to be shatter resistant, though are typically not ballistic resistant. Some shields used to counter rioters offer a form of ballistic protection against lower velocity ammunition fired from handguns or shotguns. However, ballistic shields are instead used in situations where heavily armed resistance is expected. and "Berkut" using metal shields during clashes on Instytutska Street during Euromaidan Shields are typically either round or rectangular in shape, with lengths between and varying widths. Most riot shields, when utilised properly, will protect the user from the top of the head to the knees. and electric shields designed to deliver a non-lethal electric shock to the person the shield is in contact with also exist. These shields, which began being manufactured in the 1980s, feature metal strips on the outside of the polycarbonate. A shock is delivered through the strips via a button on the side held by the bearer. Electric shields have caused several deaths. In 2011, Raytheon filed a patent for an acoustic riot shield that emits "a low-frequency sound which resonates with the respiratory tract, making it hard to breathe". Protesters may also deploy their own improvised riot shields, made from material such as wood, particle board or scrap metal. ==Use and effectiveness==

form a testudo shield wall utilizing round riot shields with batons Whether riot shields are used will depend on the commanding officer's choice of force in combating protesters. It is recommended that security forces equipped with riot shields also utilise non-lethal weapons, overwatch, and reserve forces. The riot shield is designed primarily as a defensive weapon, though it can be used in an offensive manner when in direct contact with protesters. They are designed to be affixed to the non-dominant arm and held at a slightly inward angle to deflect thrown objects into the ground. ==References==