Module 2 - Law Enforcement Equipment and Police Canines

Riot control agents such as CS are lacrymatory agents; that is, they cause severe irritation to the eyes. However, in addition to the eyes, CS causes pain, burning, and irritation to the skin, airways, and any exposed mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.

The eyes are the most sensitive organs to tear gas because it causes tearing, burning, and pain. CS exposure also causes the eyelids to close tightly producing temporary blindness. However, if the eyes are opened, vision is nearly normal even if a significant amount of CS residue is present.

Contact of tear gas with the delicate mucous membranes of the nose and mouth produces burning, sneezing, and increased production of mucous and saliva. Inhalation of CS causes burning and irritation of the lining of the trachea, which produces coughing and irregular breathing.

Practical Use of Tear Gas by Police

Tear gas is sometimes used by police to disperse unruly crowds about to riot, or it may be used to clear armed suspects from a house or building. Tear gas is effective in that it produces severe sensory irritation, forcing a person or group of people to flee an area or surrender to police just to escape its noxious effects. Another advantage is that tear gas is non-lethal, and in most cases, its disabling physical effects disappear within minutes.

Tear gas is typically deployed using gas-filled canisters. Tear gas grenades are projected using a grenade launcher, which is useful for propelling canisters of tear gas into a violent mob, for example. A grenade, or metal canister containing tear gas, is loaded into the breech of a grenade launcher prior to being fired from the barrel

Thousands of tons of CS tear gas were used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to bring their enemy, the Viet Cong, into the open. The Viet Cong were notorious for their use of intricate underground tunnels in which they hid from the enemy and moved undetected.

Effects of Exposure to Tear Gas

One of the greatest advantages to using tear gas is that, in general, it leads to quick submission and its effects are not long lasting. Less than 1% of people exposed to tear gas have effects severe enough to warrant medical care. People who do seek medical help from tear gas exposure usually have eye, airway, or skin complaints. There is no antidote for tear gas; therefore, patients can achieve relief only if their symptoms are treated.

Police with riot shields in Seoul, Korea - Image Source: Wikipedia.com Use of CS during warfare is prohibited under the terms of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention because its use could trigger retaliation with more harmful chemical agents such as nerve gas. Domestic use of CS by police is legal in most countries.