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Non-lethal Pepper Sprays

Defense Systems International Journal
Rick Wimberly and Dr. Roy Kelly, 1996

 As the character of conflict moves towards more localized conflicts, the nature of the weapons used is also changing, with non-lethal incapacitating agents used increasingly by today's military forces.

Despite the demise of the Soviet Union, world peace remains elusive. But the character of conflict has changed from multinational warfare to localized conflicts arising from religious, ethnic, economic and criminal tensions.

As the environment has changed, so has the strategy of the USA and NATO countries to affirm the importance of the growing use of military forces in peacekeeping and other non-combat operations. The principal roles of US and NATO troops are no longer limited to fighting wars and deterring aggression, but include keeping the peace. Today's soldier must be equipped and trained for peace-keeping and humanitarian assistance operations, such as those involving United Nations forces in Bosnia and Haiti and US troops in Somalia. Preparation for these new missions and roles has resulted in new equipment requirements, training approaches, and an expanded concern for the political realities of collateral damage and public sensitivity to military and civilian casualties. Out of this concern has grown a renewed interest in non-lethal and non-destructive alternatives to current weaponry.

Of course, not all military operations are intended to counter external threats or to support foreign peace-keeping operations. Many countries throughout the world are actively engaged in internal military operations, from crowd control to anti-terrorist and counterinsurgency operations.

Nor is the increased threat of, and reaction to, organized or group violence the exclusive preserve of the military. At state and local levels, police departments and officers at prisons and other correctional facilities daily face potentially life-threatening situations that require a measured response.

Chemical agents

 Chemical agents have found widespread use in both the military and civil law enforcement organizations. Peripherally acting chemicals, particularly the tear gas agents orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS) and chloroacetophenone (CN), have been used extensively. CN and CS are both classed as lachrymatory chemical agents which, in addition to lachrymation, cause a severe irritating and burning sensation to the eyes, nose, throat and exposed skin.

Despite their widespread adoption, various concerns and limitations have been recognized in the use of tear gases. Health hazards have been reported with both CN and CS. Conjunctivitis and blepharism may last for long periods after exposure to tear gases. CN is more toxic than CS, and in high concentrations has caused permanent chemical injury to eyes, and even death in cases where victims were subjected to prolonged exposure to concentrations in confined spaces. Neither CN nor CS is effective on animals or on highly motivated or emotionally disturbed individuals (nor those on drugs or alcohol). Decontamination of areas affected by CN and CS is frequently a lengthy, expensive, and involved procedure, severely restricting their use in public buildings.

Oleoresin Capsicum

 In recent years, a new and powerful aerosol spray has been developed that uses various formulations based on the essence of pepper (Capsicum), the active ingredient of which is the oily resin of pepper, Oleoresin Capsicum (OC). OC, unlike CN and CS, is derived from a natural product and is widely used as a foodstuff as well as in pharmaceutical products. In proper formulation, it acts as an inflammatory agent producing involuntary closing of the eyes and profuse lachrymation. Other physiological effects of suitable OC are temporary paralysis of the larynx and gasping for breath through inflammation of the mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract. These effects can combine to produce complete loss of upper body motor control. Properly formulated and suitably administered, OC can result in complete immobilization. ensure immediate incapacitation, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of Capsaicinoids (the active ingredients in OC). The required Capsaicinoids level to ensure compliance is not found in synthetic or water-soluble pepper sprays.

Tests on OC

The most noted study so far on the effectiveness of pepper sprays was carried out by the Firearms Training Unit (FLU) of the FBI Academy. From July 1987 to May 1989, the FTU carried out numerous tests using the commercial OC product Cap-stun, from which the FTU concluded that the material was effective in all individuals sprayed with solutions containing it. The respiratory functions usually returned to normal within two minutes, and visual acuity returned with two to five minutes of decontamination with cold water. None of the individuals tested experienced any long-term effects from the OC.

A recent FBI report stated that since 1987 more than 2000 people have been subjected to Cap-stun in a test environment, without suffering any rashes or blisters. A questionnaire sent to 42 police departments revealed that OC had been successfully used on many occasions to subdue individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol, mentally unbalanced and extremely agitated individuals, and dogs. Unlike the solids, ON or CS, OC is a liquid and does not persist on clothing or in rooms, making decontamination a simple matter of ventilating enclosed areas by opening doors or windows.

The favorable FBI report has enabled the product, manufactured by Zarc International Incorporated, to become a market leader. In addition to hundreds of police departments in the USA, it is used by most of the US government's law enforcement agencies including the FBI, US Marshals' Service, the US Prison System, US Park Police, Federal Protective Services, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Many local, county, and state agencies and departments in the USA also use OC

Military Application

Following its success in addressing the needs of federal and local government law enforcement agencies, it was inevitable that Cap-stun would be closely scrutinized by the US Department of Defense for its ability to contribute to military operations. So far it has been found to fulfill two primary military roles: a conventional policing role in the protection of military personnel and installations, and crowd control in peacekeeping operations. Other military applications for which it is being considered include antiterrorism and situations involving hostages and barricades. To this end, various devices are being developed to deliver OC, launched by remote control from a standoff position. One large military outside the US is experimenting with it in minefields.

In 1994, the USAF at Hill Air Force Base issued national stock numbers for the Cap-stun standard duty version and its associated leather holster for use by security police protecting military installations. Within months, the US Army military police issued an advisory notice permitting the use of the product in law enforcement applications, quoting the Army Medical Command's concurrence that pepper sprays used with proper training have a high level of effectiveness and safety. Both these actions resulted in the purchase of large quantities of the spray for use in military law enforcement.

OC has also been used in much publicized peace-keeping and humanitarian operations overseas, most notably by US troops in Somalia and Haiti. Associated Press reported on its successful use in controlling an unruly crowd of 8000 in Haiti. According to AP, on 5 January 1995 US soldiers shot pepper spray into a crowd of thousands vying for a limited number of places in Haiti's new police academy. Twenty American military police, fearful of losing control of the crowd, shot pepper spray and quickly dispersed thousands of people.

Advantages of OC

Users of OC repeatedly acknowledge its advantages over tear gas. They appreciate that it ensures immediate compliance yet does not emit fumes. They like its safety. They report that it works even on people under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and on highly agitated or motivated individuals.Zarc International regularly holds Cap-stun training sessions on military bases to train military trainers who in turn have the responsibility for training individual troops. Although Zarc uses elaborate processes to develop its proprietary blend of Capsaicinoids, the product works because of a very basic principle: inflammation of mucous membranes. When it contacts them, the membranes immediately swell, causing profound effects. 

Physical effects on OC 

The inflammation strikes at four key areas called R-E-M-S (Rems). The first and most crucial area is the respiratory system. When the spray is inhaled, mucous membranes of the respiratory system immediately swell, waking breathing difficult. In a direct application, the difficulty can be demonstrated by the subject's shortness of breath, similar to the effect experienced after a strong blow to the chest, or "getting the breath knocked out of you". In a less direct application, such as in crowd control, the subjects experience coughing and respiratory discomfort and are desperate to move away from the source of their distress.This shortness of breath causes stunning, particularly when a subject is agitated but, as with having "the breath knocked out of you", recovery is quick and complete. Swelling of the respirator system is not severe enough to threaten life, as verified by extensive laboratory testing and field experience. In thousands of applications, no asthmatic or anyone with a respiratory condition has suffered an abnormal effect from Cap-stun.The next effect is on the eyes. As most soldiers know, tear gas causes lachrymation, pain and a reflex reaction to close the eyes. Yet, as most soldiers also know, the effects of tear gas can be overcome by a motivated subject. OC does not rely on tears or pain to work, though both will occur. The impact on the eyes is much more profound and useful in stopping an individual from fighting or resisting, or a crowd from advancing. The swelling of the mucous membranes of the eyelids and the area surrounding the eyes forces the eyes to close. Unlike with tear gas, closing of the eyes occurs immediately on direct exposure. In a less direct exposure, such as in crowd control or barricades, the pain caused by the swelling and the desire to avoid temporary blindness makes the subjects move immediately. Resistance to the impact on the eyes is much more difficult than with tear gas.As the swelling diminishes, within the first 10 to 15 minutes of a typical exposure, eyesight approaches normal and completely recovers within 20 to 30 minutes. Extensive testing and field performance confirm, however, that the product does not damage the eyes. None of the thousands of field applications has produced eye damage.The next items effect of OC is motor control (related to the respiratory system). When severe breathing difficult occurs, a subject loses upper body motor control. Naturally, a subject with loss of motor control can neither fight nor advance.Finally, it causes discomfort related to the swelling of &e mucous membranes of the skin—often described as resembling a severe yet short-lived sunburn. Despite the sensation, there is no damage to the skin. The spray was tested thoroughly for indications that it could damage skin, and the results indicated that it caused no dermatitis or other harm.Among medical tests conducted with the product was acute inhalation. In this procedure, scientists attempted to find a dosage at which it would kill. They applied as much of it as they could, but it did not kill the test animals. It was also tested for allergies and independent laboratories could produce no allergic reactions from it.The spray also works well on animals whose tear-producing systems are not so advanced as those of humans, and therefore do not respond well to Mace or tear gas. Nor does the product seriously contaminate buildings. When it is used in a building, no special clean-up procedures are required before the building is reusable. Its active ingredients do not become less effective over time, unlike tear gas. The manufacturer places a five-year shelf life date on its canisters because of the limitations of even the most sophisticated aerosol technology currently available. Deterioration of the active ingredients forces a much shorter shelf-life for CS and CN. 

CAP-STUN Models

Cap-stun comes in four models, designed to handle the three classic broad categories of control: individual one-on-one, hostage/barricade situation and crowd control. The Z-305 standard duty unit is designed for the individual one-on-one situations or for controlling small groups of individuals. Z-305 contains slightly more than 28 grams of the product in approximately 6 to 10 quick bursts delivered in a conical shotgun pattern. Z-305 can also be used on multiple aggressors, as proved by US soldiers in their successful exercise in Haiti. Z-305 is designed to be carried at all times. It is compact yet powerful. A special holster has been designed for easy access and freedom from accidental discharges.Two units are made for crowd control, hostage/barricade, and anti-terrorist operations. Z-505 Lewd control holds 141 grams and can be strategically delivered while hand-held. Ills visible range is Cm, but tiny yet powerful particles of the proprietary blend of Capsaicinoids continue to incapacitate and disperse subjects beyond the visible range. A tubing attachment is also made for use with the Z-SOS unit to obtain access to subjects through tiny openings such as key-holes and around door edges.The Z-606 anti-terrorist grenade delivers a continuous discharge and is designed to be strategically thrown in areas to control crowd movement or end hostage/barricade situations. Using environmental conditions such as the wind, the Z-606 grenade can deliver the product over very large areas.Z205 undercover is also used for one-on-one situations. It is a smaller can, delivering 9g and can be concealed in the hand. Z-205 has a visible range of l m. 

Conclusion

As new non-lethal technologies develop and mature, it is becoming clear that no one solution can address all the required military applications — from conventional law enforcement and crowd control at the tactical level, to strategic-level operations to achieve military or political objectives. Against this background, the OC incapacitating agent has made an immediate contribution to increasing the options available in pursuing non-lethal force alternatives for today's military.

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