Passing The Baton

This is the history of the nightstick, also referred to now as the baton, the way it was taught to me back in the 70’s, and how I pass it on to law enforcement students. The nightstick was carried for three reasons. Basically the three main reasons are: 1. The old time officers would spin the nightsticks while they were working foot patrol. There were no communications, no radios. They only had their nightstick and a gun, which was a revolver, a six shot Smith & Wesson or Colt. The nightstick was carried in the late 1880’s, usually in the bigger cities that had ports, such as Baltimore. The officers used it basically for protection. The nightstick was used to make arrests and defend themselves. 2. Another reason was that when they would spin the nightstick forward, it would keep people away from their gun. I don’t think they realized the significance of it at the time, but the nightstick would also give them a gap between themselves and the people around them. In Defensive Tactics, new officers are taught to keep a six foot reactionary gap with an interview stance. That way it gives them time to react. Well, back when the officers started carrying the stick, it gave them a reactionary gap. That gave them a gap of five to six feet between people. Also, it was utilized when a crowd would gather. Instead of saying “How about moving up the street” or “Let’s move on”, they would pretty much just walk up, spinning their stick and move the people without even saying a word. 3. The main reason for carrying the nightstick was a call for help, communications. If they got in trouble, there was no way to call for help back then other than yelling or having people in the area helping you. To call your back up or your side partner, the officer that was closest to you, maybe three or four blocks away on foot patrol, the officers would throw their nightstick down on the concrete. The nightstick makes a distinctive sound and echoes through city streets. So at night or day, the other officers would hear the nightstick hit the ground and they would run to assist. The officers also came up with other little signals or communications. At that time they had call boxes about every two blocks or so, and that’s how the officers received calls and called in to the department. There was a red light on top of the box. When it was blinking, communications needed you to go there. Every officer had a call box key and they would use that to unlock the box. Then they would pick up the phone which would give them the dispatcher. They would tell the dispatcher a paddy wagon was needed and the wagon would respond and pick up the prisoner. The officer would respond to the district and write his reports, arrest reports and process the person they had arrested. That’s how it worked and that is the why the police officers in that day were masters in verbal communication.