Panel backs less-lethal force

Until last year, New Jersey police officers confronted with a lunging, knife-wielding suspect often had no choice but to shoot to kill. In July, state Attorney General Anne Milgram said police could use less-lethal ammunition, such as bean bags or rubber bullets, in those situations. Now, an advisory panel has recommended broadening the range of situations in which police may use less-lethal ammunition, bringing the state's law enforcement more in line with the rest of the nation.

The panel's report was released yesterday. New Jersey still remains the only state that does not allow officers to use stun guns, such as Tasers, but the advisory panel plans to address that issue next. "Is there something between a baton and a gun?" asked David Wald, a spokesman for the attorney general. "I think that's what the advisory panel is saying. Yes, there are instances where you don't want to use deadly ...