a police baton or billy having a short crosshandle extending therefrom to enable a high - speed sweeping motion and other defensive maneuvers of the baton . the crosshandle has a rotatable sleeve or ring which is gripped by part of the hand when the baton is spun about the crosshandle axis . a stationary portion of the handle adjacent the sleeve is gripped to decelerate the baton at the end of the spinning or sweeping motion .