‘What's Good for Them, is Good for Us’: Outside Influences on the Adoption of Incapacitant Sprays by the British Police

Abstract

The United States and to a lesser extent France have a history of using incapacitant sprays and other non-lethal weapons for law enforcement purposes. This was taken into consideration when violent assaults on police officers led to the eventual decision to arm British constables routinely with CS spray. Many police officers in the United Kingdom put their faith in research conducted in these countries. They assumed their greater experience regarding incapacitant sprays would lend support to this policy. This article examines the outside influences involved in the adoption of incapacitant sprays in the England and Wales. It discusses the research conducted on health and operational matters concerning incapacitant sprays as well as identifying the policy objectives of adopting incapacitant sprays. The article challenges the underlying assumptions on which these policies are based. It will question the wisdom of adopting incapacitant sprays for policing purposes and consider the implications of adopting other non-lethal weapons.