Tasers and Pepperballs

[John from Maryland]

What's your protocol for putting less lethals on the street? Who carries them? Who is trained with them?

We have about 42 officers on the street out of a 50 officer agency. We're split into three patrol shifts, a directed patrol unit, and a drug/community policing task force (plus your affiant, the evening relief supervisor).

I'm the less lethal instructor. (For Don, and any other intellectual hooligans out there, I realize that if I concentrated on the basics and went to the range a little more,I could become the more lethal instructor.)

We have three Taser M26's and are considering purchase of the Pepperball system. Any bright opinions as to how to assign these weapons?

Tenatively, I'd like to train all officers in both systems. We would mandate at least one of each be on the street at all times.

By the way,if you're unfamiliar with the products,check out www.pepperball.com (http://www.pepperball.com) and www.etaser.com. (http://www.etaser.com.) Thanks and be safe.

[This message has been edited by John from Maryland (edited 04-01-2001).]

[Don]

None of the departments I worked for used any of this stuff. Shoot when OC came out it was considered "HIGH TECH!" http://www.officer.com/ubb/frown.gif

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"We're sorry, the number you have dialed, 911, is no longer in service. This is a recording. . ."
6P1 (retired)

[Traffic Dog]

I work for a department of 30+ sworn. I am also a less lethal instructor. We currently deploy the bean-bag shotgun as well as the Pepperball system. We just sent back our T&E Taser system, and are hosting an instructors course April 19th.
Every sworn person in our department, from chief down, is trained in all systems. We have one of each option mentioned and they are kept in the shift commanders vehicle. That way they are always on the road and are ready to deploy. Ive just heard to many horror stories of keeping things at the PD and not having them on the street when you need them.
The reason the options are kept in the shift commanders vehicle is simple. The shift commander always has the same vehicle unlike patrol which switches everyday. That way you always know where its at. The shift commander doesnt have an assigned beat. This makes him usually available to assist when needed. Our PD is centrally located giving him pretty good response time to anywhere in the city. A lot of people would argue that the options arent on the street where the patrol guys need them. As you know less lethal options arent 100% effective and our policy is that they are only to be used/deployed when cover officers are in place.
Just for your info besides the Taser instructors course we are also hosting an IACP less lethal instructors course in August.

[Sheriff738]

I am not too impressed with the PepperBall system. The website goes on about the kinetic impact, and how that adds to the effect.

For anyone who has this system, I suggest going out and playing paintball. You will see that the impact is not much, certainly not debilitating. So I don't think it would stop someone coming at you. As for using it on riots, the accuracy is less than desireable. Depending on the age of the paintballs, cleanliness of the barrel, and weather conditions, the paintballs can come out swirling like bees. I would hate to see someone lose an eye because they are protesting something and did not leave when told.

I like the Korean way of crowd dispursal. Put tear gas with a vomiting agent in water and pump it through a fire truck. http://www.officer.com/ubb/smile.gif

Todd

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Used to be that we "Worldproofed" our children. Now society wants to childproof the world.