Less-lethal solutions grant law enforcement officers an additional tool to change behavioral patterns and gain control of situations. 

In A Multi-Method Evaluation of Police Use of Force Outcomes—a study that was commissioned by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)—authors found less-lethal weapons reduce the rates of injuries for both law enforcement officers and offenders.

These solutions cover a broad range of weapons and have historically been used in crowd control environments. Increasingly however, less-lethal options are being used in daily patrol situations. While there are many munitions available, the PepperBall system is a truly NON-LETHAL option that is designed to make patrol encounters safer and more reliable than ever.

Many agencies such as the Phoenix and Santa Clara police departments, now recognize PepperBall as part of their daily routine, allowing officers to choose a non-lethal first option in many encounters such as:

  • Vehicle stops
  • Drug labs
  • Area denial
  • Building/field searches
  • Barricaded suspects
  • Mental health issues
  • Trespassing violations

In addition, comprehensive training prepares officers for proper and effective PepperBall deployment. PepperBall now offers a 16-hour hands on, scenario-based training course that is designed to challenge law enforcement officers, from the newest recruit to the most seasoned police veteran, and provide them with fresh tactics and methods to deal with these challenging situations.

Finally, whenever considering or implementing PepperBall (or any less-lethal option), a clear and well-crafted departmental policy is critically important. This policy will govern the way in which officers are able to use PepperBall to respond to the challenging, potentially dangerous situations they face every day, helping protect officers in the line of duty, and leading to better outcomes for citizens, increasing trust and overall community safety.




PepperBall

Published on Oct 19, 2022