Baton round

Baton rounds, also known as kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs), are a less lethal alternative to traditional bullets. Baton rounds are designed to impact rather than to penetrate and are typically used for riot control.

Common types of baton round have included the:

• Bean bag round, a less-lethal projectile fired from a normal 12-gauge shotgun
• Plastic baton round or plastic bullet, a less-lethal projectile fired from a specialised gun
• Rubber baton round, commonly called the rubber bullet, a rubber-coated projectile with a metal or ceramic core.
• Wooden baton round (which are meant to be skipped off the ground into the targeted area), also called a wooden bullet (a bullet is a direct impact round).
• Foam baton round, also called a sponge grenade

Such munitions are meant to cause pain and incapacitation but not penetrate flesh.^[1] However, baton rounds can cause death and serious injuries such as damage to internal organs, permanent disabilities including blindness, especially when fired from close range at the head, neck, chest, or abdomen.^[2]