Crowd Management

Use of Chemical Agents

NOTE: Show slide, “Chemical Agents.”
The proper use of chemical agents not only helps law enforcement personnel restore order, but also reduces the chances for injury to officers and rioters. On the other hand, if used improperly or indiscriminately, chemical munitions can cause injury and possibly death. It can also lead to complaints of excessive force.¹⁵
Chemical munitions should only be used when the crowd is disorderly to the extent of throwing objects, physically attacking officers, or there is imminent threat of either.
No legitimate police objective can be achieved by the indiscriminate spraying of chemical agents onto a crowd. Also, care must be taken to avoid discharging agent so that it only affects the front half of a crowd. This will place incapacitated individuals between the crowd and the front ranks of the police lines. Any time chemical agents are used on a crowd, they should be warned of its pending use. This gives those who choose time to leave. This warning may not always be possible, but should be given if time and the situation permits.
REMEMBER, the use of chemical agents is considered a use of force and should only be deployed by officers specially trained in their use and deployment.

1. Introduction to chemical agents: This is an introduction to chemical munitions and does not qualify one as a trained chemical munitions operator.

Currently there are four forms of chemical agents used by law enforcement agencies for crowd control.

1. HC (Hexachlorethane) - Smoke

Even though smoke is not an irritant agent per se, smoke in and of it’s self is irritating to some people. Smoke is effective when used to break up some crowds that are disorderly, but not overtly violent. Smoke can be used for the following purposes:

1. Conceal movement

2. Disorient the crowd

3. Determine the wind direction

1. CN (Chloroacetophenone) - discovered in 1869 by a German chemist

   1. Odor: like apple blossoms

   2. Incapacitation factor: 10 to 20 minutes. CN is a fast acting irritant that affects the upper respiratory passages, lacrimal glands and eyes. The agents usually begin to work in 1 to 3 seconds; however, some people may not be affected for up to 30 minutes.

   3. CN is an irritant that does not affect everyone. This chemical agent may not affect those on drugs or alcohol.

   4. Physiological effects: Irritating to the skin, causing a burning and itching sensation. Flowing of tears, nose irritation--agents especially affect moist areas of the body.

   5. CN is a lacrimal, meaning it affects the lacrimal glands, ducts, and sacs around the eyes and in the nasal and sinus cavities.

2. CS (Orthochlorbenzalmalononitrile)

An irritant agent developed and used for crowd dispersal. Most effective broad-based munition, used primarily outdoors. Causes irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory system.

NOTE: The label CS has nothing to do with the chemical name; it is the first initials of its two British developers, B.B. Carson and R. W. Stroughton.

1. Odor: peppery smell

2. Incapacitating time factor: produces almost immediate effects in 5 to 10 seconds. Effects can last from 10 to 30 minutes.

3. Physiological effects

   1. Extreme burning of the eyes, accompanied by copious flowing of tears

   2. Involuntary closing of the eyes

   3. Stinging sensation on moist skin

   4. Runny nose, sinus, and nasal drip

   5. (Tightness in the chest and throat. One should observe exposed subjects for respiratory difficulty after exposure. Seek medical treatment if difficulty persists beyond 20 to 30 minutes, or if requested.

   6. Dizziness or swimming of the head

1. OC Products - Pepper Mace

Some field officers are currently carrying this type of agent (Pepper mace and CAP-STUN). One needs to know the type of OC dispersal system they are using. Cone shaped mist systems are effective crowd dispersion systems, while the streams and foams are target specific systems that do not lend themselves to crowd dispersal operations. Stream OC products are very useful in crowd control when used on a controlled scale on specific individuals, such as those identified for arrest-by-arrest teams. Cone shaped misting or fogging systems are more suited for crowd dispersal. OC dispersal systems, which use micro-pulverized powered, which is expelled into the air by means of a compressed gas are useful in dispersing crowds.

1. Odor: spicy, peppery smell

2. Incapacitation factor for stream based OC systems

   1. Acts immediately on most individuals; those individuals under the influence of drugs, heavy alcohol or experiencing severe mental problems may be able to ward off the effects for a time.

   2. Almost total incapacitation of some subjects.

   3. Incapacitation usually limited to the one sprayed.

   4. Foggers and powered based munitions affect the breathing ability of the exposed individual more than the eyes, which makes them better crowd dispersal systems.

3. Physiological effects

   1. Burning sensation to the eyes

   2. Irritation to the nasal passages and throat

   3. Tight feeling around the chest

4. Stream based OC products may be best used by arrest teams to target persons singled out for arrest because of their incapacitating ability.

1. Chemical munitions identification chart

NOTE: Show slide, “Munitions Chart.”
NOTE: Remind students this is a voluntary commercial color code and they may encounter some variations, so they should always read the labels of any chemical agents before they are deployed. Only those persons specially trained in their use should only deploy chemical agents. Use of military munitions could lead to civil liability.

Name	Color Code	Uses
Smoke	Yellow	Used to obscure vision and determine wind direction
CN	Red	Used to disperse crowds or on barricaded subjects
CS	Blue	Riot agent
OC	Orange	Best used by arrest teams; currently not applied on a broad basis in crowd control
Other agents you should know about--these agents will not be used as riot agents; however, they may be encountered when other agencies respond to assist during periods of civil disorder
CR	Violet	Irritant and sickening agent
DM	OD Green	Sickening agent; also called "Adamsite"

If you come across any of these agents, turn them in to be properly disposed of.
NOTE: Tell students that all chemical agents have a shelf life, usually no more than four (4) years from date of manufacture. Agents that have reached the manufacturer’s expiration date should not be used. All munitions must be disposed of according to established procedures for disposing of hazardous waste, as defined by the EPA.

3. Forms of chemical munitions and methods of dissemination

   1. Forms of chemical agents

NOTE: Show slide, “Chemical Agent Forms.”

1. Solids - granulated agents combined with pyrotechnic mixture

2. Micro pulverized - agent reduces to extremely fine powder or dust

3. Liquid - agent suspended in a liquid solvent

1. ) Methods of dissemination

NOTE: Show slides, “Dissemination Methods.”

1. Expulsion - the use of explosive or other force to eject micro pulverized chemical agents

2. Pyrotechnic - the burning of granulated chemical agents and a pyrotechnic mix to vaporize the agent and release it as a submicron aerosol cloud

3. Fog - the use of hot gases to vaporize a liquid agent formulation, which is subsequently released as a fog cloud

4. Liquid - the use of an expelling force to project a liquid chemical agent formulation to a desired target

1. Delivery systems

NOTE: Instructors are encouraged to bring several systems to class for students to observe.
There are four systems for the delivery of chemical munitions. Tactics dictate which system is most appropriate for a given situation. Choosing the wrong delivery system may make the use of chemical agents a burden rather than an asset.

1. Aerosol irritant projectors are one of the most widely used means of deploying chemical agents.

   1. Mace projector - shoots a small stream 6-10 feet 40 one-second burst

   2. Fogger hand-held-wide fog stream 10-12 feet 25 one-second burst

2. Hand delivery system: The throwing of grenades by hand. Grenades should be thrown underhanded.

3. Foggers: A dissemination device, which operates by rapidly vaporizing liquid riot agents. A typical fogger will produce 100,000 cubic feet of agent cloud in 26 seconds.

4. Launching systems

   1. 37mm/40mm system - a low pressure launching system used to deliver specialized long or short range munitions

   2. Shotgun system - uses a special adapter and blank shell to lob the munitions toward the target area

   3. Pepper ball guns - specially designed paint-ball type delivery systems used to direct fire pepper balls at individuals or into the crowd

NOTE: If available, display 37/40mm gas gun, pepper ball gun, shotgun launcher and blank shell.

4. Grenade munitions - hand-held or launched

Grenades have a standard military mechanical fuse system, the M201A1. The M201A1 fuse has a standard delay of 1.5 seconds (0.7 to 2.0) margin of error. a) Blast dispersion (expulsion grenade)

1. Explosive type

   1. These grenades are filled with micro pulverized agent

   2. The body is weakened; an small explosive force ruptures the grenade ejecting the agent

2. Non-explosive type

   1. Piston driven system to eject agent. This system also has a time delay fuse system.

   2. CO2 cartage system, where compressed gas is used to force the agent out of the grenade.

1. Pyrotechnic dissemination

   1. The release of agent through a burning process

   2. Agent is mixed with smoke, which serves as an identifier showing accuracy, area of coverage and direction of movement

   3. Method affected by quantity of agent in mixture (typical mixture 40% agent to 60% fuel/smoke)

   4. Nature of prevailing wind and weather conditions, as well as the design of the munitions can affect its effectiveness

1. Tactical use of chemical agents

When deploying chemical munitions officers should consider these three major factors.

1. Meteorological conditions

   1. Wind - used to spread agent

      1. Head wind

      2. Following wind

      3. Flanking wind

      4. Mechanical turbulence

      5. Thermal turbulence

   2. Temperature

      1. Heat will cause riot agents to dissipate quicker

      2. Cooler temperatures will make the agent more persistent

   3. Rain will reduce the effectiveness of munitions

2. Characteristics of the chemical munitions

   1. Liquid and gas dissipate quicker than powder forms

   2. Gas forms of munitions expand about 20% in 100 feet (approximately 20-foot spread in 100 feet)

3. Target nature

Chemical munitions must be deployed in sufficient concentrations to produce the desired effect. More munitions will be needed for crowd control than will be required for a barricaded subject.

1. Large groups

Officers must use sufficient agent to effectively cover the entire crowd.

Important: an escape route for rioters must be determined before chemical agents are deployed.

2. Small groups

Recent events continue to show the need to consider the use of chemical agents to disperse small groups (usually 25 to 50 persons). Here aerosol foggers or cone-shaped mist systems may work best. Other low volume munitions, such as small tactical grenades may also be a consideration.

3. Special consideration

Officers must consider the target area before deploying chemical agents. Broad based pyrotechnic agents should not be used in areas where there are small children and older adults with breathing difficulties. Only those agents or delivery systems that limit the spread of the agents should be considered in these areas. In fact some cases will preclude the use of agents all together. As well clean up of the area must be completed after the situation returns to normal.

Examples: hospitals, day cares, nursing homes, etc.

6. First aid for exposure to chemical agents

NOTE: Show slide, “First Aid for Exposure.”

1. General - complete incapacitation

   1. Remove affected person from the contaminated area to an open, upwind position

   2. Remain calm

   3. Major discomfort should disappear within 10 - 20 minutes

2. Eyes - burning sensation, heavy flow of tears, involuntary closing of eyes

   1. Keep eyes open, facing wind

   2. Do not rub eyes

   3. Tearing helps clear the eyes

   4. If particles of agent are lodged in the eyes, wash out with large amounts of water

3. Skin - stinging or burning sensation on moist skin areas; blisters from very heavy concentrations can occur

   1. Sit and remain quiet to reduce sweating

   2. Expose the affected areas to the air

   3. Gross contamination can be relieved by flushing with clear water for at least 10 minutes. A gross contamination is when the agents or carrier is visible on the subject. Usually a white powdery substance or a orange oily substance when pepper sprayed.

   4. For CS, a solution of 5 to 10% sodium carbonate--sodium carbonate is superior to water and needs to be used only in small amounts. A baking soda solution (sodium bicarbonate) will also work, but more slowly.

4. Nose - irritation, burning sensation, nasal discharge

   1. Breathe normally

   2. Blow nose to remove discharge

   3. Nose drops should help if discomfort is severe

5. Chest - irritation, burning sensation, coughing, feeling of suffocation, tightness in chest, often accompanied by a feeling of panic

   1. Victim should relax and keep calm

   2. Talking reassuringly to the victim will help to relieve his/her discomfort and prevent panic

Note: For severe or prolonged effects, complications, and contamination of wounds, seek medical attention as soon as possible.¹⁶

7. Legal concerns about using chemical munitions

The use of chemical munitions have been generally accepted by the courts and public as an acceptable use of force to disperse riotous crowds and avert what the police could reasonably regard as threatened violence.¹⁷

From 1934 to the present, only fifteen cases regarding the use of chemical agents have reached the appellate courts in the U.S. No case has, to date, been deliberated by a federal court. Therefore, it can be reasonably assumed that the use of chemical munitions can be legally justified.
The only major issues considered by the courts have been the training of officers and the method of deployment (e.g., firing the agent straight into the faces of subjects).¹⁸

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