Riot Control Equipment Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Riot Control Equipment Market is projected to expand from USD 11.14 Billion in 2025 to USD 14.88 Billion by 2031, registering a compound annual growth rate of 4.94%. This sector is defined by a comprehensive array of less-lethal weaponry, personal protective systems, and tactical vehicles employed by law enforcement agencies to uphold public order and disperse civil disturbances. The market is primarily underpinned by drivers such as escalating global political instability and rapid urbanization, which create a need for robust internal security capabilities distinct from general technological trends like automation. According to the Security Industry Association (SIA), 80% of industry respondents in 2025 characterized business conditions as good or excellent, signaling strong confidence in the sector driven by sustained demand for security solutions.

A major challenge hindering the growth of the riot control equipment market involves stringent regulatory environments and export control policies influenced by human rights concerns. Governments frequently enforce bans or rigorous restrictions on the deployment of kinetic projectiles and chemical irritants, actions that can severely constrain trade opportunities and delay procurement contracts in sensitive international regions. Despite the positive business sentiment, these regulatory hurdles continue to complicate the landscape for manufacturers attempting to navigate complex global compliance standards.

Market Drivers

The rising global incidence of civil unrest and political instability acts as a primary catalyst for the procurement of riot control systems. As public disturbances and protests become more frequent and intense, governments are compelled to modernize their inventories of less-lethal weapons, protective gear, and tactical vehicles to ensure law enforcement can effectively manage volatile situations without resorting to lethal force. This trend is supported by conflict metrics that directly correlate with increased security budget allocations; according to the Institute for Economics & Peace's 'Global Peace Index 2024' released in June 2024, the number of active global conflicts reached 56, the highest level recorded since the Second World War, highlighting the urgent operational requirement for agencies to maintain readiness against escalating civil disorder.

Furthermore, increasing government expenditure on homeland security and public safety accelerates market growth by facilitating the replacement of obsolete equipment with advanced solutions. Administrations are prioritizing funding for police and paramilitary units to acquire modern acoustic devices, kinetic impact projectiles, and conducted energy weapons that offer greater precision and reduced risk of permanent injury. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's April 2024 report, global military spending grew by 6.8% in real terms to reach $2.44 trillion in 2023, reflecting a broader commitment to strengthening defense postures. This shift toward modernized technology is further evidenced by corporate performance, such as Axon Enterprise reporting a 36% year-over-year revenue increase for their Taser segment in the third quarter of 2024, underscoring the substantial financial investment agencies are directing toward updated tactical capabilities.

Market Challenges

Stringent regulatory environments and export control policies exert a substantial restraining influence on the global riot control equipment market. Manufacturers of crowd management systems and less-lethal weaponry operate under intense scrutiny regarding human rights compliance, which often results in prolonged licensing processes or the outright denial of transfer authorizations. These regulatory hurdles disrupt supply chains and prevent companies from fulfilling contracts in volatile regions where demand is frequently highest. When governments impose embargoes on items such as chemical irritants or kinetic projectiles, vendors lose access to established revenue streams and face increased operational costs associated with compliance.

The industry's heavy reliance on international trade amplifies the severity of these restrictions, as a contraction in export accessibility directly correlates with reduced market turnover. The sheer scale of the sector's dependence on foreign markets is evident in recent trade figures, highlighting the financial risk posed by border restrictions. According to the ADS Group, the security and resilience sector delivered £11.7 billion in export value in 2024. This substantial figure underscores how rigorous export control policies can jeopardize billions in potential revenue, serving as a direct bottleneck to market expansion when political climates shift toward restriction.

Market Trends

The integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for crowd surveillance is emerging as a critical trend, allowing agencies to maintain public order while minimizing direct physical contact. By deploying autonomous drones, law enforcement can gain real-time aerial perspectives of civil disturbances and, in advanced configurations, disperse crowd-control agents remotely to de-escalate volatile situations. This shift toward "Drone as First Responder" models reduces the risk of officer injury and ensures continuous monitoring of large-scale events. According to DRONELIFE in December 2025, manufacturer Skydio has successfully deployed its autonomous drone platforms to over 1,000 public safety agencies, highlighting the rapid sector-wide acceptance of aerial robotics for frontline operations.

Simultaneously, the implementation of body-worn cameras and video security ecosystems is transforming evidence management during public disorder incidents. This trend prioritizes cloud-connected devices that utilize AI-driven analytics to process video feeds instantly, streamlining judicial reviews and enhancing transparency in high-stress environments. These systems replace legacy offline recording methods with digital solutions that offer immediate data accessibility for command centers. According to Motorola Solutions' third-quarter 2025 financial results released in October 2025, revenue for the Software and Services segment grew 11% year-over-year, a performance directly attributed to the robust expansion of video security and command center technologies utilized by public safety clients to modernize their tactical capabilities.

Key Players Profiled in the Riot Control Equipment Market

• CBW Agencia
• Desert Wolf
• Axon Enterprise, Inc.
• PACEM Defense
• Genasys Inc.
• Safariland LLC
• NonLethal Technologies Inc.
• Blackhawk
• Etienne Lacroix Group
• Lamperd Less Lethal

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Riot Control Equipment Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Riot Control Equipment Market, by Product Type:

• Personal Protective Equipment
• Offensive Equipment

Riot Control Equipment Market, by End User:

• Law Enforcement
• Special Forces

Riot Control Equipment Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Riot Control Equipment Market.

Available Customization

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• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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