NCJ Number
146578
Journal
Law and Order Dated: (March 1993) Pages: 63-65
Date Published
1992
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Sixteen companies now manufacture Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), a chemical irritant that police can use to incapacitate an aggressor; police must know how to evaluate OC and have policies and training to protect against liability.
Abstract
Under Federal regulations, every manufacturer must prepare a Materials Safety Data Sheet listing what is in the product, its physical and chemical characteristics, fire and explosion hazard, reactivity hazard, health hazard, control and protective measures, and precautions for safe handling and use. FBI tests of OC concluded that because OC is made from a natural product, pepper, used in foods and pharmaceuticals, it has none of the health risks associated with other chemical agents. Many trainers believe that police officers should experience spraying with OC so that they can testify in court that they have been sprayed with the product. One manufacturer suggested a series of tests an agency can conduct to assess a product's performance, skin and eye sensitivity, respiratory effects, and loss of motor control. Photographs and addresses and telephone numbers of companies offering OC products