24 September 2005

Capsicum Spray used on protestors?

| johnboy
Join the conversation
4

ABC Online is reporting on the use by police of Capsicum spray on a teenage girl at a protest last year.

Now I’m sure our police readership will explain how this use was entirely within the interpretation of the guidelines.

But out here in public-land many of us wereunder the impression that OC spray was a non-lethal substitute for shooting people. Not something to be used to do over anyone who becomes annoying.

If her actions warranted a spraying why wasn’t she charged with anything? Or was a bit of a spraying summary justice?

Join the conversation

4
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

Yep: she probably deserved it.

And for those lucky people like Ms Manion, I have heard that the taser is used in similar situations to spray.

You get angry at a cop you get tasered or sprayed. Spray takes to much effort to clean up after so I can see more people getting tasered. Bring it on I say.

Just because the girl in question was a teenager has nothing to do with it. Let the Ombudsman sort it out.

read in the paper this morning the taser trial is being extended so the can be used at this year’s New Yeat’s celebrations.

I’d like to start that, as always this, is my answer and not in any way an official response for or from the AFP. Anyway…

The AFP actually uses a “circular model” in relation to use of force or some such wanky term (please excuse me I’m lacking a bit of sleep at the moment) which basically means there is no set order of use of force options with the idea being you can use open hands to spray to a firearm to your mouth (no, not biting people, talking idgit!) to whatever depending on the circumstances so your not set into a particular escalation of use of force options.

Practically, OC spray come in BEFORE hard hands, ie you are less likely to end up hurting someone or more importantly getting hurt yourself using spray than having to go hands on.

Now I have no personal knowledge of what happened to the lass in question or her brother in this circumstances but spray can and is used on people who don’t end up being charged (to aid in gaining subject control when taking violent intoxicated persons into custody is one example that comes to mind) but in a crowd control situation I could easily understand it that some people might not hang around to be arrested and charged.

Hope that helps 😉

Oh, and I think there is a taser trial going on. You can expect that to work in the same way.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.