Ockham IPS, in cooperation with PLATO/Leiden University, has been commissioned by the Dutch Scientific Research and Documentation Centre (WODC) to conduct an evaluation of the use of the short baton in the performance of ‘boas’ (extraordinary law enforcement officers), as well as on the safety and functioning of these officers in a broader sense. For this purpose pilots were initiated in 10 Dutch municipalities, the results of which are compared against a selection of municipalities where municipal law enforcement officers were not equipped with the short baton.