The concept of personal defense weapons (PDWs) originates with the military and is expanded with various public law enforcement agencies. The term came into vogue in the mid-1980s with the marketing of automatic weapons such as Heckler & Koch's MP5K PDW, a weapon used by U.S. military forces in Grenada. However, around 1996, the meaning of PDWs changed. Within NATO, there was a need for a compact defensive weapon to arm personnel, leading to the development of a new generation of such weapons and their proliferation throughout law enforcement and private sector security organizations (Personal defense weapons: Functional or hype, 2008).
At issue in this essay is a discussion of various concepts of physical and personal protection, including use of force issues and weaponry related to physical and personal security of individuals within the mainstream community. A major challenge in researching this report was identifying the kinds of weaponry used by private security personnel as opposed to public law enforcement or military actors. Much of the literature speaks to PDWs as used by these latter groups.
Haddox (2007), writing largely for individuals concerned with their personal safety, makes the case that weapons are inherently dangerous and that any individual who elects to purchase and potentially use guns, knives, or other technology-enhanced systems such as lasers or stun guns must be thoroughly trained in the use of these devices. Additionally, Haddox (2007) comments that it is essential that any individual using or expecting to use these weapons be in compliance with local laws. Country, state, county, and even city laws can be in conflict with each other. Something that may be permissible under federal law for a private citizen or for a trained security officer working in the private sector may be criminal under state or community law. In the view of Haddox (2007), any individual who carries a defensive w...