A stun baton, also known as shock baton or energy baton, was a non-lethal short-range melee weapon that immobilized organic targets with a powerful electrical shock.
A stun baton had a power pack in the handle, which was used to activate the high-density cells that produced a stunning charge, making the weapon a little unwieldy. The power cells could last three hours before requiring a recharge. It required the user to physically touch or strike the target in order to immobilize them effectively.
They were commonly utilized by police forces who preferred to incapacitate instead of kill their targets.
Some brawlers would use them in melee combat to increase their attack power.
More advanced versions of these weapons included the Bothan stun stick, the Chuka, the Vulkar shock stick, the Rakatan Battle Wand, the Gand silencer, the Gand discharger and the Exchange negotiator.
It was dated to be used back during the Jedi Civil War.
The stun baton was used by Sector Rangers as well as police, who used it as a crowd-control weapon. The 501-Z police droid was likewise typically equipped with a stun baton. It was also used by guards or security officers such the the Corellian Security Force, the Espos of the Corporate Sector, as well as security forces that worked for trade organizations such as the Metatheran Cartel or even criminal organizations. In contrast, slaver organizations such as the Mytaranor Slaving Council used stun batons to a more lethal effect.
The stun baton was also used as a backup melee weapon by Galactic Alliance Infantry Troopers.
It is rumored that during the Galactic Civil War, there existed material to build stun batons with incredible power in a Geonosian Bio-Lab, supposedly hidden on Yavin 4.