NCJ Number
146580
Journal
Aslet Journal Dated: (January-February 1993) Pages: 15-17
Date Published
1992
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Trainers who become salespersons for chemical irritants used by police personnel against assailants often fail to inform police about the limitations as well as the benefits of these products.
Abstract
Salespersons sometimes believe that it is acceptable to omit the truth to make a sale, whereas trainers are never supposed to omit the truth. Therefore, trainers who are also salespersons face a dilemma. Most trainers refer to two types of tests to demonstrate the effectiveness of their products. The first type is the field test, which is usually conducted by a police or correctional agency to determine whether to use the product. These tests are not always valid for other agencies or the general public. The second type of test is a passive test, which involves spraying an inactive individual and recording the physical reactions. However, trainers usually fail to mention active simulation tests, in which more than 100 participants have accomplished their violent goals despite being sprayed with a chemical deterrent such as tear gas or oleoresin capsicum. As a result of the misleading training, some police agencies have placed deterrent sprays too high on the continuum between verbal techniques and lethal force. Police should have deterrent sprays as an option, but they also should use them realistically and not just as a means to reduce liability at the cost of police safety.