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Riot control is one of the more common responsibilities of the police force, and it is possible that much of the police equipment have been designed with the picture of a rioting mob in mind. People become part of the mob for various things like peer approval, for being able to express opinions anonymously, or for the freedom to act but still avoid responsibility. Whatever that be, a mob is a force to reckon with. As part of a mob, an individual appears to be imbued with double the strength he normally has, so that a crowd of 100 people is likely to have far more strength than the strength of hundred people acting separately. So the best police equipment is designed with the consciousness of this extra strength.
 Since riot control mainly involves dispersal of a crowd, the police equipment used for riot control is generally not lethal. While soldiers in war, or even police involved in crime investigation have the freedom to use lethal weapons, riot control police has the right to use lethal weapons only in the case of extreme provocation. So, their police equipment consists mainly of batons, tasers, tear gas, pepper spray, plastic bullets, and water cannons.
Batons are perhaps the most used item of riot control police equipment. A baton, also called truncheon, is a short stick with a handle, which are quite powerful but deceptively simple in appearance. There are strict rules regarding the use of this police equipment item for riot control, and the rules vary slightly from place to place. In the context of a baton, a human body is divided into zones – the comparatively safe green zone, less safe yellow zone, and unsafe red zone. A policeman has limitations in using his baton against sensitive body parts that come under the red zone.
While the police equipment of riot control police is not very lethal, protective body armor is given a lot of importance in their police equipment. Bullet proof vests made of metal or ceramic, that can protect them from firearms, shrapnel, knife stabs, or stones thrown by the mob, form part of their protective gear. Gas masks covering nose and mouth as defense against toxic gases and strong pollutants; and riot helmets to protect head and eyes from stones, glass, or other projectiles thrown by the mob; also form part of riot police equipment.
Riot shields are objects that strongly demarcate riot police equipment from police equipment used for other police operations. Large riot shields that almost entirely many riot control police use cover the user. These shields are generally lightweight and offer protections against stones, bricks, and other sharp objects thrown by the rioting mob. Riot shields do not generally offer protection against bullets, though in rare instances bullet proof riot shields may be made part of riot police equipment.
Though a gun is rarely used for riot control, a shotgun within the holster is a must part of police equipment, even when they set forth to disperse a crowd. As it is important to prevent the gun from being snatched by those in the crowd, these holsters are needed to be kept more securely locked. As a result, holsters with special locking mechanism are also among riot control police equipment.
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