Waller police to arm selves with beanbags

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BRIEF: Police in the city of Waller are set to implement the use of beanbags as a means to stop suspects.

Earlier this month, Waller City Council approved funding for officer training in use of what many law enforcement agencies call less-than-lethal weapons.

Beanbags, which are from a regular shotgun, represent a last resort before use of deadly force, Chief Sam Williams told council on June 9.

Waller police officers will be required to take a training class, during which they are actually fired upon with the beanbags to demonstrate potential harm they can cause.

In other cities police have used less-than-lethal weapons against protesters, with mixed results.

Ernesto Aguilar, KPFT News, Houston.

E-mail Ernesto Aguilar at may19x@yahoo.com .

This story was broadcast on June 27, 2003.