I'm not a cop. I have never been a cop. I have never had any real desire to be a cop.
But years ago, I mean YEARS ago, I did work for Burns Security. Part of our uniform was a nightstick about two feet long. (A Colt Official Police revolver with MOP grips, in a Border Patrol Holster, and a Sam Brown belt was the other big part. Six rounds of RNL ammo issued. "Don't shoot anybody unless you have to" was the training I got. I put the RNL ammo in a drawer at home and got a box of 158 grn LSWC ammo to carry and a MTM AMMO wallet and a set of Bianchi Speed Strips that I still have today to carry on duty.)
Anyway. Someone mentioned the intimidation factor of the nightstick. I was driving down a street in Richmond one afternoon. I wasn't working but did have the NS in the back seat of my Mustang. A fellow cut me off, and slammed on brakes and got out of the car and started back to mine. This fellow was POed. I had no idea who he was, but I was young and really dumb, and since I was already stopped, I got out to see what he wanted. I grabbed the NS on the way out of the car. (Now of course, I'd just drive off and leave him in the middle of the street.)
About the time he got to the front bumper, I got out. I stood up, all six foot and 225lbs (I was a lot smaller then (lol) and smacked the palm of my left hand with the NS in my right. I think I said something clever like "Can I help you?" That fellow stopped. His eyes got really big. Then he turned and got back in his car, without a word, and hauled the mail getting out of there.
Now I'm not sure if the sight of the NS stopped him ,or if he maybe just realized I wasn't who he thought I was (I honestly have no idea who he was or what he wanted. To the best of my knowledge I had never seen him before and had done nothing to him to set him off.) but he didn't waste any time leaving.
OH BTW. My ex-wife worked at the Richmond City Jail. She had a "Black Jack" she called it, about like the one in that picture. Felt like a BIG lead fishing sinker, wrapped in leather. I'd have hated to catch that thing up side the head.
