Troopers Excused From Pepper Spray Test
State troopers will not have to be blasted with pepper spray now that the state has suspended a policy requiring them to get a taste of the chemical weapon before using it.
The Florida Highway Patrol suspended the policy Friday after the state Labor Department began investigating whether it posed a hazard to state troopers. The investigation was prompted by a complaint from the patrol’s Lt. Harold Frear.
Frear’s lawyer said patrol officials do not know the long-term effects of pepper spray, and troopers should not have to get blasted.
“We believe people exposed to the spray should know what they’re being exposed to,” lawyer Ben Patterson said.
The patrol began using pepper spray on its troopers this year as part of a program to train them how to use the weapon. During training, troopers are shot with the spray so they can feel its sting.
When sprayed into a victim’s face, the chemical burns the skin and causes temporary blindness because the eyes can’t be opened, Lt. Chuck Williams said.
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