Batons were melee weapons, but could be equipped with a Stun to immobilize organic targets by producing an electrical charge that shimmered on the shaft.
Batons were carried by police officers and GU-series Guardian police droids of the Coruscant Security Force and of the Mandalorian Guard. Clone riot troopers of the Coruscant Guard were also armed with them for duty on Coruscant. Both stormtroopers and Imperial "Riot" Cadets wielded them during Governor Ubrik Adelhard's Iron Blockade of the Anoat sector. The Captain of the Mon Calamari Guard Gial Ackbar used a baton that also fires blaster bolts during the Clone Wars.
The prison guards at the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex utilized zap rods.
Jyn Erso was trained by Saw Gerrera to use truncheon at his base on Wrea. She later purchased a pair of truncheons at Five Points which she used on Jedha against stormtroopers.
Grand Admiral Thrawn owned a combat baton.
The First Order's riot control stormtroopers used the Z6 riot control baton, which had collapsible vanes and could withstand a lightsaber's blows. The Resistance spy Vi Moradi owned a specialized tactical baton that had saved her rump on more than one occasion.
- The Art of Star Wars: Visions