The Tessera TKS-LL is a pump-action shotgun chambered exclusively for 12-gauge less-lethal ammunition, featuring a bright orange receiver and stock that visually distinguish it from lethal weapons. The weapon's chamber and barrel are designed with a slightly different bore diameter than standard 12-gauge, which prevents lethal ammunition from chambering — a physical safety measure that eliminates the possibility of an operator accidentally loading lethal rounds.

The Pacifier fires bean-bag rounds, rubber slugs, and CS gas cartridges for crowd control and suspect incapacitation. Tessera issues it to security personnel assigned to crowd management, protest response, and facility access control where lethal force is not authorized. The bright orange coloring is mandated by Tessera's use-of-force policy to ensure that operators, subjects, and observers can immediately identify the weapon as less-lethal.

The weapon's effectiveness is debated. Bean-bag rounds can cause serious injury or death at close range, and rubber slugs have been responsible for numerous blinding injuries. Tessera's marketing describes the Pacifier as a 'compliance tool,' which critics note is a euphemism for a weapon designed to inflict pain on people who have not committed violent acts. The debate over less-lethal weapons is as old as the weapons themselves, and the Pacifier embodies all of its unresolved tensions.