The espantoon (/ɛsˈpən.tuːn/ es-PƏN-tewn) is an ornate straight wooden baton, equipped with a long swiveled leather strap for twirling.
[1][2] The word itself derives from that of the spontoon, a polearm carried by British Army infantry officers during the Revolutionary period.
[1] Before the advent of police radio, the espantoon was reportedly used by Baltimore policemen to call for assistance, where its user would bang it on the curb or a drainpipe.
[2] In 2000, Edward T. Norris assumed the office of police commissioner and lifted the ban on the espantoon, although he did not mandate its use.
The move was made as part of a general effort to boost morale and instill a more aggressive approach to policing in Baltimore.