Pepper Spray / O.C.- is it worth it?

 In a word- NO. Now before any of you get all excited and accuse me of blasphemy, hear me out.  Pepper spray is a generic term for Oleoresin Capsicum (  capsaicin is the active chemical of hot peppers ) delivered via an aerosol spray. OC is an irritant that affects the eyes, the membranes of the nose / throat, and lungs.  It's even hot on the skin as it gets into the pores.  Make no mistake, it's not a pleasant experience to be on the receiving end of a blast of OC.  I've been hit several times in training and on the street and I'm not looking forward to it happening again. That being said......

    If you believe the advertisements of the various manufactures of OC sprays ( and certain media outlets who believe OC is death in a can when used by the police ), once a person gets a shot of OC in the face they'll instantly drop to the ground in searing pain, blinded and only breathing enough to stay conscious.  In the real world however, the results are rarely so dramatic.  In fact the effects of OC are often, well......... underwhelming.

    A wide variety of factors determine the effectiveness when OC is applied.  For example, is the suspect high or intoxicated?  Is he enraged, psychotic, emotionally disturbed, or enjoying an adrenaline dump?  Does he smoke?  Does he normally eat spicy foods ( believe it, it's true )?  If the answer is 'yes' to any of these questions the OC will have a delayed and lessened effect.

    During training I was given a healthy dose of OC in the face, then had to complete a series of tasks including fighting, running and cuffing.  It took over a minute for my eyes to close. I didn't have the benefit of being under the influence of any drugs and I'm no superman.  I've seen OC applied on the street multiple times.  Not once did it have the instant effect of incapacitating the suspect.  Like me, the suspect can take up to a full minute ( often more ) after being sprayed to react to the OC.  A lot can happen in a minute.......

    So, why do cops carry and use OC?  One answer is because OC is PART of the law enforcement use of force spectrum, not the ONLY option.  The police have other options ( ie: batons, TASERs, firearms, additional cops )  if / when the OC fails.  The other answer is politics....... but that's another issue.  Don't get me started.

    There may be a light at the end of the OC tunnel.  A new method of delivery is on the market and it's showing some promise.  Instead of aerosol delivery the OC is applied ballistically at close to 90 mph.  The drawback is, as of now, the OC 'gun' has only two shots so you better make 'em count!  Time will tell if this product brings OC into the realm of serious street tools, but for now this cop is simply not impressed.  Good training will serve you far better than a can of OC ever will.

                                                           No, this doesn't happen.