ASP, Inc.

• 1976—company founded by Kevin Parsons, PhD. Agencies such as the U.S. Secret Service use ASP batons making them an intermediate non-lethal weapon of choice for law enforcement agencies.
• 1987—launched the ASP training division with the inaugural Tactical Baton Seminar, held in Atlantic City
• 1995—entered the OC (pepper spray) business with the introduction of the Defender, setting a new standard of quality and utility in the category
• 1996—entered the police flashlight business. ASP was one of the earliest companies pioneering the use of LED with the original Sapphire light.
• 2004—designed and engineered restraints. This was the start of an aggressive development and investment program to fundamentally change handcuff design and construction. A restraint course was also added to the ASP training program.
• 2015—conducted the first 3-day ASP Instructor Certification (AIC) in Utah. The AIC is now widely considered by those who have completed it as one of the most challenging and fulfilling training programs in law enforcement.[1]
• 2019—The Armament Systems and Procedures' Transport Kit wins 2019 Public Safety Product Innovation Award[2]

• FBI[3]
• Chicago Police Department[4]
• Virginia State Police [5]
• Portland Police[6]
• Butler Township[7]
• Salina Police Force[8]
• Vancouver Police Department[9]
• Edmonton Police Department[10]
• Garda Siochana (Irish Guards)[11]
• Metropolitan Police Service [12] (along with hiatt and tch handcuffs)
• Salt Lake City Police[13]
• Seattle Police

ASP 21-inch (530 mm) tactical baton in expanded and collapsed states.

ASP manufactures telescoping batons. An assessment by law enforcement officers found them preferred to the usual straight baton for their portability, convenience, effectiveness, usability, and psychological impact.[14]

Since the early 1990s, ASP batons have been adopted by law enforcement agencies in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Expandable batons in general are sometimes referred to as "Asps".

The batons come in three sizes: 16 inches (410 mm), 21 inches (530 mm) and 26 inches (660 mm),[15] and the company has adopted a European measurement standard. They are available with several variations, such as color (black being the most common, but some have nickel-plated shafts), grip pattern and material, and metal composition, the most common being 4140 high carbon steel, with an "airweight" line using a light-weight alloy with a combination of steel and aluminum.

ASP batons were friction-lock in design, and were opened by swinging the handle forcibly through the air. To close this type, the baton's tip is driven into a hard surface to break the friction. A version introduced in 2010 but since discontinued is called "LeverLoc", opened the same way was as friction-lock, but closable by twisting the shafts with both hands, and slightly longer when collapsed state due to the mechanism; a LeverLoc designed for plain-clothes concealment was also produced. The friction-lock Airweight series (P12 and P16), for plain-clothed concealment, was released in 2012.

The company produces restraints such as handcuffs and plastic ties, 19 different types of flashlights,[16] and other weapons accessories, including customization options.