Can I buy a baton in the UK?
This is another question that people often ask Google, and another question that the top result on Quora is misleading at first glance.
We need to define the word baton in order to explain.
The Collins Dictionary tells us it can be a “short heavy stick which is sometimes used as a weapon by the police”.
The Oxford Dictionary tells us it can be “a police officer’s truncheon”.
This is what most people regard as a police officer’s truncheon.
However, the British police haven’t used this type of truncheon since 1994.
The police nowadays actually use these.
That would be a collapsible baton or a telescopic truncheon. And this is where the confusion arises.
So baton can actually mean one of several different items. So the question, “can I buy a baton in the UK?” needs to be clarified as to whether you mean a classic design wooden police truncheon or you mean a metal expanding, telescopic or collapsible baton.
A better question might be: Are truncheons legal in the UK? And on that question, we have an article >here< that discusses both types and the legality thereof.
If you want a traditional British police-style wooden truncheon, we sell an exact replica of a 1960s Leeds City Police one with a leather lanyard at a very reasonable price. Click the button below to find out more.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; this site does not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
Readers of this website should contact their solicitor to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual solicitor can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website authors, contributors, members and their respective employers.
The views expressed at, or through, this site are those of the individual authors writing in their individual capacities only. All liability with respect to actions taken or not taken based on the contents of this site are hereby expressly disclaimed. The content on this posting is provided “as is;” no representations are made that the content is error-free.