LAPD lifts ban on some hard-foam projectile weapons at protests after judge revises order

The Los Angeles Police Department has lifted a week-old moratorium on the use of certain hard-foam projectiles at protests after a federal judge revised her recent court order restricting the weapons’ use. “We are committed to exercise the needed restraint in the use of crowd control tactics while also maintaining the critical need to protect the community, as well as our police officers.” Marshall’s revised order, issued Wednesday, allows the LAPD to fire 37-millimeter hard-foam projectiles at the ground in front of protesters after declaring a gathering unlawful and issuing a dispersal order. The initial order said such weapons, which fire five foam rounds at a time, “may only be used on persons who pose a threat of serious bodily harm” to officers and others. While the initial order restricted both the 37- and 40-millimeter weapons to officers who are trained and “certified” to use such weapons, the revised order says they may only be used by officers who are trained and “meet all annual qualification requirements.” The initial order said the 40-millimeter projectiles were only to be used “on persons who pose a threat of serious bodily injury,” while the revised order said they may only be used “when the officer reasonably believes that a suspect is violently resisting arrest or poses an immediate threat of violence or physical harm.” The initial order said the LAPD must give verbal orders to disperse before using the weapons. The revised order says an order must be given before 37-millimeter projectiles are used to clear crowds, and that the use of 40-millimeter projectiles — only on those presenting a physical threat — “should be preceded by a warning, if feasible.” The initial order said the 40-millimeter weapon could not be used to target people’s heads, necks, face, eyes or spinal cords, and that neither of the weapons should be aimed at people’s upper bodies.