Wow. Another chance for the fifty cent version of my OC rant...
I suppose OC is better than nothing. It beats screaming for help, but let's take a good hard look at it.
When pepper spray first came out it was like a Star Trek phaser with a stun setting, at least according to the manufacturers. It blinded. It shut down "all but life support breathing". It would stop a charging bear in its tracks. It was a perfect protection against robbers and rapists. The FBI Academy's tests proved that it was 100% effective. In other words, it was just like every other new self defense product.
Then reality started to set in.
First, the agent in charge of the experimental trials at the Academy was convicted of taking an $800,000 bribe to slant the experiment the way the manufacturer wanted. After a couple high-profile cases of cops using it exactly as directed and getting stabbed to death the FTC got involved. MSI Mace was forced to retract all claims that it would stop violent attackers.
Then there was a bit of independent research. Once more, we all have to thank the peerless Phil Messina of Modern Warrior. He and his (mostly NYPD police officer) students have done quiet literally thousands of trials. Special cop-only pepper spray. Students who aren't enraged or on drugs. Trained dogs. Untrained dogs. Journalists. Regular people used as control subjects. The results were always absolutely consistent. It doesn't stop a goal-oriented person from carrying out his plan. Period.
The Berkeley PD department study was in line with this. Officers found that it made the situation worse as often as it helped, and more than half the time the officer got hosed down as well. Now pretty much every police or security guard training course for OC includes spraying the students so they understand you can fight through it.
ASLET, the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers, has covered it over the years. Their recommendation was that it worked on "non-compliant non-violent suspects". In other words, Bubba doesn't want to get into the car, but Bubba isn't about to massage your head with a tire iron to underline the point. Hose Bubba down with OC, then cuff and stuff. It also works great for torturing passive protestors who have chained themselves to old growth redwoods.
I've been sprayed with special umpty hundred thousand SHU not-for-sale-to-mere-civilians cop-only OC by accident. Right in the face. I wasn't ready for it. You know what? I got motivated and goal oriented within about a tenth of a second. I decided that I had to extricate myself from the hold I was in, walk across a wrestling gym the size of a small airplane hanger (literally), go out the door, find the drinking fountain and start washing it out of my eyes. If I'd been doing crime that would have been about enough time to rob, rape and kill someone (in no particular order) and be halfway through my second beer. I made a serious unfriend in a local PD who came in to extoll the virtues of OC and his particular course. My standing offer of "I get a wooden knife or lipstick. You get the OC. $5 a cut. $10 a stab. No more than $1000" went begging for reasons at which I can only speculate :wink1:
Another thing to consider is the physiological effect. What does OC do, basically? It causes an allergic response. What is the body's immediate reaction? It dumps adrenaline. Congratulations. If he's still moving, he's really ticked off, and he's stronger, angrier and more impervious to pain. In fact, tests before and after spraying with OC show a marked increase in grip strength.
In short, there's a place for it. That place is not, no way, no how, not even a little for defense against violent criminals who lead you to fear that you are in danger of sexual assault, death, or serious injury. Maybe if you shove the canister down his throat and empty it it will stop him. Otherwise, no.
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