| Police departments in the United States must deal | | | | contact with the attacker in order to take effect. |
| with a variety of difficult situations each day; | | | | This weapon is best used in situations where an |
| officers never know how a traffic post or call for | | | | officer finds himself wrestling with a subject. Stun |
| help might ultimately turn out. Because of this | | | | guns can also be used after an arrest, to subdue |
| unpredictability, policemen and women have been | | | | someone in a vehicle or a jail cell. Because these |
| armed with a variety of weapons that help them | | | | spaces are enclosed, pepper spray would not be |
| deal with the dangers they face on a daily basis. | | | | an effective choice of weapon-the use of such |
| Three of the most common non-lethal weapons | | | | sprays could impact police as easily as it disables |
| that police officers utilize are stun guns, tasers, | | | | their attackers. |
| and pepper spray. All three have proven useful | | | | There are a variety of protocols and rules that a |
| alternatives to pulling out a firearm and thereby | | | | police officer must follow before using any |
| escalating an already-hazardous situation. | | | | weapon. Ultimately, however, it is up to the |
| There are many instances in which a cop may | | | | individual officer to decide which method is the |
| use a weapon other than his firearm. A common | | | | best for use in a particular situation. When a cop |
| circumstance may be when someone is | | | | deals with an aggressive unarmed person, the |
| threatening to commit suicide-in the case that the | | | | officer can turn to one of these weapons as an |
| suicidal individual is not holding a gun. For example, | | | | alternative getting in a fist fight with his aggressor. |
| if the person has a knife held to his throat, the | | | | The police must also take caution when dealing |
| police will want to keep him calm without | | | | with pregnant women, the elderly, and children. |
| approaching him too closely. Being able to daze | | | | For example, if a pregnant woman is threatening |
| the suicidal individual with a taser gun from 15 feet | | | | a police officer with a knife, the officer may want |
| away means that the officers needn't place | | | | to use pepper spray instead of a taser; the spray |
| themselves in harm's way. It also means that the | | | | is less likely to cause harm to the infant. |
| subject will be stunned for a long enough period | | | | No matter which non-lethal method a police officer |
| that officers can safely confiscate the knife and | | | | uses when dealing with a suspect, all are viable |
| handcuff the person. | | | | alternatives to firearms. Armed with these |
| Officers have found many situations in which | | | | non-lethal alternatives, an officer is able to avoid |
| pepper spray proved to be the best option, | | | | the use of lethal force whenever possible. Police |
| crowd control being a common case. If police | | | | agencies that have implemented these |
| officers are faced with containing a rioting mob, | | | | alternatives have seen the rate of police shooting |
| pepper spray can be an effective method of | | | | suspects decrease dramatically. |
| dispersing the crowd. The spray impacts more | | | | Although this article speaks of non-lethal, |
| than one person in the area, and can be used as | | | | self-defense tools that police officers use, it must |
| defense against a number of assaulters. Pepper | | | | be noted that private individuals can use all of |
| spray may be used in hostage situations as well. | | | | these same tools to protect themselves from |
| If an attacker is holding a hostage and the police | | | | harm as well. The fact that police agencies |
| wish to disable him, officers may use pepper | | | | provide these tools to their officers is a |
| spray to do so. The pepper spray may also | | | | testament to the effectiveness of these tools in |
| disable the hostage, but it will not cause any | | | | very specific situations. By examining your own |
| long-term harm to its targets. Pepper spray | | | | activities and lifestyle, using this article as a guide, |
| disables both the victim and the attacker, and | | | | you can determine which of thses self-defense |
| allows the police to remove the weapon and take | | | | tools could best protect you and your family in |
| the attacker into custody. | | | | the event that you are faced with a threat of |
| Stun guns are best used in close-quarter | | | | harm. |
| situations; this is because the gun must make | | | | |