Garda weapons - Pepper spray would be effective

Detective Garda Seamus Kearns was brave to offer himself as a guinea pig to be sprayed in the face with the kind of pepper spray used by police in Europe and North America to deal with violent situations.

He noted that if gardaí are going to use the spray they should understand its impact.

Forces that use tear gas frequently use similar training methods. The Garda Representatives Association (GRA), representing 10,000 rank and file gardaí, has called for members of the force to be armed with the spray for defensive purposes in these increasingly violent times. The spray, which can be used to overcome a violent person, causes a stinging pain in his eyes. It essentially incapacitates somebody for about 20 minutes, because those sprayed are unable to open their eyes. The only after-effect is some discomfort as the impact wears off. There is no need of hospitalisation.

Somebody hit with a truncheon might need hospital treatment. In confrontational situations where batons are used, people on all sides frequently get hurt in the frenzy. Where spray has been used, however, police injuries have been reduced by 50%.

Police should use the minimum force necessary. Hence pepper spray would provide them with an effective weapon that would ultimately be in the interest of society as a whole — including the gardaí.