Don’t Pepper Spray Me Bro!

In the academy, recruit officers receive training in the use of pepper spray and most are exposed to the effects of the product, but few come away with a proper understanding of the limitations of this weapon.

While pepper spray is probably the most frequently used intermediate weapon in our arsenal, there are some situations where it should be avoided.

Confined spaces – Inside a confined space (such as a small room or inside a car) over spray can permeate the air causing both the suspect and the officer to suffer the effects of the weapon. Depending on the concentration level of the product in the air, breathing and/or seeing during the fight could be difficult.

Windy environments – Using pepper spray under windy conditions may cause the officer to receive a higher dose of the spray than the suspect.

Heavy crowds – Nothing can induce panic in a crowd like pepper spray. Unless you want to be trampled by a stampede of bystanders, avoid spraying someone in a large crowd. This is compounded if the crowd is in a relatively enclosed area. Conversely, if you need a building or area evacuated, pepper spray will definitely do the job.

Within arm’s reach of the suspect – Pepper spray is propelled at high speed from the can, so if an officer is too close to the suspect then the stream can rebound off the suspect and expose the officer. Typically, the propellant must evaporate from the stream before the full intensity of the spray can be felt. If you are too close to the suspect, the propellant in the product doesn’t have a chance to dissipate and actually causes a short delay before the pepper spray takes effect.

Around open flames – Some brands of pepper spray are flammable and some brands are not. Some brands claim to be non-flammable, but have actually ignited in independent testing. A physical altercation is not the proper setting for discovering that your brand of pepper spray ignites when exposed to an open flame.

Multiple officers engaging a single suspect – Crossfire does not just apply to firearms.

Since each situation is different, there are going to be incidents where officers might have to disregard these suggestions. Hopefully this discussion will lead to faster, better decisions being made under stress.

A quick tip for pepper ball users:
After engaging a suspect with pepper ball rounds, resist the urge to charge into the dust cloud to place them into custody. If possible, call the suspect to you so you won’t be affected by the pepper dust. Before transporting the pepper balled suspect, some agencies spray a light coating of hair spray over the suspect to keep pepper dust from becoming airborne inside the car.

I have tried to compose a list of some common situations where pepper spray should be avoided, but I purposefully kept the list short so officers could remember the tips under stress. However, if you have any tips that you think are worthy of consideration, please share them with us. Our pooled knowledge is our greatest asset.

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