Question on this?

Question

My auxiliary police dept has training on Friday.. we are doing pepper spray, crowd control, and riot stuff. If we attend, I imagine we are getting pepper sprayed. Now.. how does this work? We stand there and get sprayed, where are our hands, etc? Or We learn about it?

Answer 1

Just be glad you know it's coming so you have you eyes closed

Answer 2

Wow you guys above got to close your eyes?? Lucky.


When we were sprayed in training you just stood there with your hands at your sides and the instructor stood about 6 feet away. We were given a good 1 second blast to the face and then had to punch/kick/elbow a heavy bag,do a gun point arrest and then hand gun retention (rubber training gun) while someone tried to get it out of your holster.

It was one of the most painful things I've experienced (and I've had a baby). After all of the acivity you were allowed to decontaminate with water. I recommend bringing some baby shampoo, it will help numb your eyes (that's how the no-tear formula works) and help get the spray off.

95% of the people sprayed were okay within an hour or so. My eyes were almost swollen shut the next day. It depends how sensitive your eyes are.

We also practiced arrests in a closed area sprayed heavily with the OC spray to give you an idea what cross-contamination feels like.

Good luck,

Answer 3

Been there and done that and like True Blue my eyes were slits for about a day. I was just one of those people that had a bad reaction to it but most of the officers faired pretty well. Of course it didn’t help that the instructor didn’t think he administered a good burst the first time so he hit me a second time, and then still not convinced he hit me with the spray a third time. He kept saying you’re moving and I kept telling him I’m not moving you’re a lousy shot. I don’t know if they still do this at the police academy but I went through POSTS in Connecticut in 1984 and they used to have you walk through a building where they threw several tear gas canisters. OC was a walk in the park compared to that crap which burned really bad. Leslie S has been a cop for 29 years I’m sure he had a similar experience.

Answer 4

Most agencies make it mandatory for you to be sprayed in this type of training scenario. Especially if you plan to carry it when you are on your auxillary patrol. Some agencies handle it differently than others but I will sum it up as most are similiar. I am also going to save you on this one...you may owe me one!
Generally you are given a partner (buddy) in this training. An instructor then tells you to place your hands on your sides, close your eyes, and indicate when you are ready to be sprayed. When you say yes you are then sprayed and told to stand there for a minute while it takes effect. Your buddy then walks you to a hose or bucket to decontaminate you with water. It is VERY unpleasant.
Here is the best way to handle this if you don't want to be messed up for an entire day or sometimes days!!
1. Never shave the morning before as it will go right into your pores and burn like...... also splash cold cold water on your face beforehand
2. When the instructor asks if your ready...hold your breath and nod your head yes....dont SAY IT as he will spray sometimes right in your mouth...........uhhhh
3. DO NOT EVER OPEN YOUR EYES....get your buddy to lead you to the water. Once opened you are done!
4. Immediately immerse your head in a water bucket twice then exhale into the water still keeping your eyes closed. Come out and keep doing that and then spray your face with the hose over and over. After several immersions in the water you can slowly open your eyes, keeping the hose flushing them (slow).
Believe me this will save some serious misery. Let me know what happens and good luck.

Answer 5

Great tips above. I will only add that you might want to have a washcloth handy. The washcloth should be whetted with a sugar water solution. After the usual rinsing using the sugar water gets rid of all the left over capsicum and soothes the eyes.
I carry commercially packaged sugar water (using sorbital) packets with me in my duty bag along with my flexi cuffs and leg irons (also useful on a fighter).

Answer 6

Typically, you will want to put your hands behind you, or closed to your sides. They will instruct you, but remember this key bit of advice: DO NOT RUB YOUR EYES! It will burn like hell, and you'll want to rub them to relieve the burning, but it will only make it worse.

Instead, after they are finished (You'll want them closed while they spray), try to keep your eyes open. The air will do a much better job of easing the discomfort. Once you're inside, you may try and rinse them out with water.

Answer 7

Oh, you'll get sprayed. It will be a quick burst, but you have to know what it feels like before you can carry it.