[jnc36rcpd]

We've used Bodyguard 5% for the past several years. We've had good results. County Police use Punch which also seems effective.

I haven't had as much succcess with the DECON or other decontamination products.

Be safe and keep the wind at your back.

 

[jnc36rcpd]

Our doctrine is that if the suspect has not reacted to two on-target OC deployments, the pepper is probably not going to work. The officer should then transition to another option.

We also discourage heavy OC deployment. Emptying the bottle will tend to create a washout effect. Rather than hitting the suspect with aerosol, you're essentially soaking him in liquid. Most of the liquid will end end up on skin or clothing. While you'll still have some effect on the suspect's eyesight, repiratory effects are less likely to occur.

Be safe.

 

[jnc36rcpd]

In my experience, most subjects sprayed with OC are significantly impaired. Of course, we need to train for that percentage upon whom OC has little or no effect.

We adopted the two spray recommendation after several years experience with OC. In adopting this protocol, we referred to a 1994 study conducted by the Portland (ME) PD which seemed consistent with our experience. This study examined 226 OC deployments by Portland officers.

Portland reported an average of 1.2 sprays was required to control a suspect (one burst in 182 incidents, two bursts in thirty-nine). There were six incidents in which a subject was hit with more than two bursts. In five of these cases, the spray was still ineffective. It's out belief that, if you've hit the subject twice without effect, the spray will probably not work on this particular occasion.

Portland officers considered OC effective 85% of the time. If one eliminates mechanical problems with the canister, possible misses, medical cases, and incidents in which officers could or did not give OC time to work, the success rate would be 97%. Whichever percentage (if either) one accepts, there are still a percentage of people who will need to be taken down by other means.

It's also part of our training that OC is not a replacement for the baton, the taser, the firearm, or the flashlight. Be safe.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jnc36rcpd on 2001-12-28 11:48 ]</font>