Riot shields, history, common uses and the best options on the market!
A riot shield is a lightweight protection device, typically deployed by police, security personnel, correctional officers and some military organizations. Riot shields are typically long enough to cover an average-sized person from the top of the head to the knees, though smaller one-handed models may also be used (round – circular – anti-riot shield). They are generally intended to be used in riot control, to protect the user from attacks and threats with blunt or edged weapons and thrown projectiles, or non-lethal weapons such as rubber bullets and water cannons. They can also be used to push back the opposing force. Riot shields have been used as an effective protection tool by the police against protestors and rioters in Europe and the UK as early as the 1960’s and the 1970’s. The British forces deployed them in the 1950’s as well.
Riot shields are used in almost every country with a standardized police force (we offer customized options with languages/fonts and color). Law enforcement often use them in conjunction with a baton (check out our range of batons). Riot shields made for law enforcement are typically constructed from transparent polycarbonate (reinforced plastic) to allow the bearer to have an unobstructed view of incoming thrown objects. However, there are riot shields made from different materials (aluminum / ballistic shields) to help the bearer shield themselves from fire or other dangerous hazards like live ammunition/bullets. riot shields are effective in protecting the bearers and preventing protesters from breaking through police lines (interlocking riot shields).
Common uses of the riot shields:
Riot shields are typically made of transparent polycarbonate between 4–6 millimeters (0.16–0.24 in) in thickness. Shields are designed to be shatter resistant. The riot shield is designed primarily as a defensive weapon, though it can be used in an offensive manner when in direct contact with protesters. We also offer anti-laser riot shields which help the bearer from the threat of laser beams pointed at their eyes and obstructing their vision.
Special event security, tactical police units, corrections officers, crisis response forces, quick reaction forces, disorder control units, and general security contracting companies all use riot shields. Outside of prison cell extractions, riot shields are almost always used for defensive purposes to protect the public in unstable situations. Their clear design gives them an unobstructed line of sight and provides immediate situation assessment.
Riot shields offer protection to the user from a variety of blunt objects and projectiles. Rioters will use anything and everything nearby as a weapon in a riot or melee situation.
Here’s a list of items rioters use that the riot shields can protect you and your team from:
Rocks
Glass
Small metal fragments
Electric shock
Bricks
Stick attacks
Rubber bullets
Ballistic shields can protect you and your team from:
Fire thrown objects – (Molotov cocktails)
Fast, lightweight, and easy to use, this classic riot shield is EDI-USA’s most popular shield for riot operations.
Available in standard (half body) or jumbo (full body) sizes, this strong riot shield will protect your team when you need it most.
Resisting up to 187 joules (J) of energy, the shield is mounted to one strong and insulated handle, and one strong nylon wrist strap.
Custom inscriptions & wording on front is available based on your specific needs.
Compatible with FoxFury® ‘s tactical shield light (attached permanently or removable with Velcro).
Need anti-laser strips for your riot helmets? We’ve got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help!
Are you law enforcement? Contact us to request your free riot shield T&E sample to try!
This item usually has a 1 – 2 weeks lead time upon receiving your order.
Sizes: 35.5” x 19.6” (90cm x 50cm), 47” x 19.6” (120cm x 50cm)
Protected with a durable hard rubber border, EDI-USA’s RUB-X Shield is law enforcement’s first choice for thick and strong riot shield protection.
The RUB-X Riot Shield is manufactured with suction-mould technology to allow the user to remain protected from some of the highest anti-riot impact threats.
Resisting up to 187 joules (J) of energy, this shield will protect you when you and your team need it most.
Custom inscriptions & wording on front available.
Compatible with FoxFury® ‘s tactical shield light (attached permanently or removable with Velcro).
Need anti-laser strips for your riot shields? We’ve got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help!
Are you law enforcement? Contact us to request your free riot shield T&E sample to try!
This item usually has a 1 – 2 weeks lead time upon receiving your order.
Sizes: 35.5” x 19.6” (90cm x 50cm)
CUSTOM SIZES and FRONT INSCRIPTIONS available.
ROUND (CIRCULAR) ANTI-RIOT SHIELD
Designed for close combat operations, ExecDefense’s EDI-USA round anti-riot shield is ideal for urban or rural anti-riot operations.
Manufactured withstrong polycarbonate with a 95% light transmittance rate, this round riot shield has a slight indentation around the border in order to make it stronger during anti-riot operations. The round shield will help prevent non-ballistic handheld anti-riot threats and can easily be moved up, down, or around to adjust to the direction where threats may be thrown from. The shield thickness is: 0.16” of thick and durable polycarbonate.
The user-facing side (back side) of this round riot shield features a strong a 1-arm strap and 1-arm handle system.
Customized inscriptions available for front side.
Need anti-laser strips for your riot shields? We’ve got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help.
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury’s shield light (attachable). Please contact us for more information!
Note: this round riot shield is available with or without the enhanced black border. Please specify when ordering.
Sizes: Size: 23” x 23
During riot operations, making a “riot barrier wall” is very important for law enforcement.
Our strong anti-impact Interlocking Riot Shields help your team stay protected during protest and riot operations. Manufactured with strong and transparent polycarbonate (95% sunlight transparency), these tall shields have indented edges so that they can essentially “inter-connect” together
The shields are thick and durable, with a thickness of approximately 0.18” to make sure that they protect well against non-ballistic hand-held anti-impact threats.
The user-facing side (back side) of the shield has an additional piece of polycarbonate which attached the handle system, along with a durable EVA-foam pad for extra arm comfort.
Customized inscriptions available for front side.
Need anti-laser strips for your riot shields? We’ve got you covered! Please contact us and we are happy to help.
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury’s shield light (attachable). Please contact us for more information!
Sizes: Small: 47” x 21.5” Medium: 63” x 21.5” Large: 70” x 21.5”
One of the biggest problems that law enforcement faces today is the threat of lasers being pointed into eyes during operations, and temporarily blinding or distracting the officer from their mission.
ExecDefense’s EDI-USA Anti-Laser Riot Shield was developed to prevent officers from being blinded or distracted by primary nuisance lasers.
Manufactured with strong anti-impact polycarbonate 0.16” in thickness, this shield includes propriety anti-laser film which is permanently imbedded into the riot shield to help minimize and block the affects of lasers. The shield has a VLT of 30% and blocks up to 200 – 560mm of blue and green lasers.
What makes this shield different than other anti-laser devices, is that the anti-laser film is permanently manufactured within the polycarbonate formula of the shield – don’t worry about it falling off, or not completely covering all parts of the shield, because it’s imbedded fully throughout the entire riot shield.
The user-facing side (back side) of the shield features a strong a 1-arm strap and 1-arm handle system.
Customized inscriptions available for front side.
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury’s shield light (attachable). Please contact us for more information!
This strong shield is popular among users because it is manufactured with aluminum, as opposed to plastic polycarbonate, and resists hand-held riot threats well, and can also help with fire riot threats such as Molotov cocktails
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury’s shield light (attachable). Please contact us for more information!
The shield is manufactured with black aluminum and includes a small viewport (multiple eyeholes) with a layer of polycarbonate (transparent).
The back of the shield includes a durable handle and arm system, along with a foam EVA pad to help enhance comfort for the user’s arm.
Customized inscriptions available for front side.
This riot shield is compatible with FoxFury’s shield light(attachable). Please contact us for more information!
