One of the most difficult challenges confronting a police officer during an encounter with an agitated, aggressive or violent suspect is the accurate assessment of the suspect's intentions. In many cases, the responding officer does not know if the suspect has been involved in a domestic incident, intends to commit suicide or has just committed a crime. The primary benefit of using any less-lethal device is forcing the suspect to declare those intentions while maintaining a tactical advantage, according to a presentation on less-lethal weapons by Sid Heal for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Firearms Committee in 2004. The Los Angeles (California) Police Department (LAPD), like other police agencies, is committed to officer safety, tactical flexibility, effectiveness and reverence for human life. The benefit of the LAPD's new beanbag platform is it provides officers in the field with a very flexible tactical tool that may be used to de-escalate a situation so deadly force is unnecessary.

Beanbags in law enforcement
The LAPD began using commercial 12-gauge beanbag ammunition in 1995 in response to a movement sweeping through law enforcement agencies to implement "less-lethal" weapons against combative subjects who would otherwise injure officers or themselves. Many of the available choices were products developed by manufacturers for use in correctional facilities to quickly quell disturbances that could escalate into riots. Beanbags were deployed from 30 to 45 feet to keep corrections officers at a safe tactical distance, while achieving their goals. Law enforcement recognized the potential for this type of application and adopted it; however, urban conflicts and confrontations often occur at distances much less than 30 feet. Therefore, the practical application of this device was hampered by the manufacturer's recommended standoff distance and essentially limited to outdoor use. Some beanbag manufacturers offered "close range" (reduced velocity) rounds, but the reduction in velocity reduced the beanbag's effectiveness. In addition, the potential for confusion over which rounds to load in a stressful situation was a deterrent for combining these applications.