>When did the police start using them as direct ammunition?
In Northern Ireland.
In Northern Ireland.
Later replaced with plastic baton rounds which were fearsomely accurate and were used in direct-fire. Forbidden to aim at head but instead aimed at stomach and let bullet-drop do its thing. Given the majority gender of the 'opposition' you can guess the results.
There was a minimum range ( 25 metres or so ) which could only be violated to save life. Absolutely not permitted indoors.
This is all public-domain.
I had forgotten the batton rounds development.