PepperBall for Private Security?

There is a large list of less-lethal technologies available for use. Not all are best suited for private security work and some are just not sold to non-law enforcement types. I want to explain my opinion on one less-lethal tool, PepperBall. I want to go over the benefits, drawbacks, and the legality of California private use of this tool.

PepperBall Technologies, Inc. makes and sells a few different types of PepperBall launchers. The launchers all use compressed air to fire a .68” plastic sphere filled with different compounds. The spheres are target accurate to 60 feet and can be filled with PAVA powder, water, paint, and scented powder. PAVA is basically a chemically produced OC powder. PepperBall has the patent on .68” plastic spheres filled with powdered irritant, so if you find someone else selling it, they were manufactured by PepperBall. (I will list some other products that use this technology later.)

Some of the PepperBall launchers are basically modified Tipmann paintball launchers. The only real modification from the PepperBall version of these launchers is that more air is allowed to be used to fire the projectile at approximately 300 to 350 fps; the standard paintball launcher fires at just under 300 fps. The most common of these launchers in the SA-200 which is no longer made by Tipmann and is being replaced by the Custom Carbine. All these launchers have a gravity fed magazine of over 150 projectiles and will fire as fast as you can pull the trigger. They are target accurate to 60 feet with the powder filled projectiles. The water and paint filled projectiles are less accurate then the powder filled. All types of projectiles can be fired up to 150 feet for area saturation.

The SA-200, Custom Carbine, and the electronically fired TAC-700 are all large weapons. Because of the size of these launchers you would not want to carry them around all day and would most likely have them pre-staged in your car or office. This limits their use for private security. I find it hard to think of a situation where a private security officer would be justified to leave a hostile situation to retrieve a less-lethal launcher and then return to utilize it. I can think of only a few scenarios and one would be area denial.

PepperBall makes two smaller launchers that can be carried by a security officer all day, the SA-10 and the FlashLauncher. The SA-10 is larger, shaped like a gun, and has a 10 round gravity fed magazine. The FlashLauncher is shaped like a large flashlight and has a 5 round spring loaded magazine. The FlashLauncher also has an 80 lumen rechargeable light and is useful in this regard. Both of these launchers use CO2 to launch the projectile, but unlike the SA-10 the FlashLauncher can be loaded and ready to fire for extended periods. If you charge the SA-10 with CO2 it will leak the gas slowly and will render it useless in a few hours.

What about the legality of these tools? Well because the launchers can be loaded with different projectiles the rules change. If they are loaded with the PAVA projectiles you have to consider the rules for OC spray, which are very restrictive for private persons. California PC 12403.7, “…tear gas weapons are used solely for self-defense purposes…” If you use any other projectile to strike an adversary then have to consider the rules of impact weapons. However unlike a baton impact weapon, PepperBall is considered non-lethal. Just as a mater of fact if you heard from the media that a woman was killed in Chicago with PepperBall, that story was untrue. She did die, but was hit with a FN-303 which uses a faster, heaver, fin stabilized, liquid filled round.

I asked California BSIS what they thought about PepperBall use by private security, this is what I received back: "All your guards are required to have is proof that they have taken a class, approved by the Bureau, in the carrying and use of pepper spray…

We do not have any authority regarding the use of these devises. However, I would advise you to check with your local law enforcement and our local municipalities to see if the have an ordinance in place that addresses the use of a PepperBall devise.”

I know of three California PPO’s who currently utilize PepperBall devices and two have already have used them in the field. I have not yet heard of any use-of-force or legality issues with the use of PepperBall by private security.

I think PepperBall is a good tool for private security as it allows an officer to deploy non-lethal force a long distances. Pepper spray is only effective to about 10 feet, Tasers to about 18 feet and PepperBall to about 60 feet. While the distance from Tasers is good, the cost (approx. $24 per shot) is expensive. A typical PepperBall projectile is about $2, if you buy in bulk. I think the FlashLauncher makes the most sense as a tool because it can be loaded indefinitely, ready to use and has a built in flashlight.

Some other manufactures are making launchers for PepperBall projectiles. They also sell PAVA projectiles, but remember that PepperBall holds the patent and these projectiles are supplied by PepperBall. Veritas Tactical www.veritastactical.com and Rap-4 rap4.com/paintball/os/rap4-less-lethal-c-406.html are two good suppliers. PepperBall Technolgies, Inc. website is www.pepperball.com

If you have any questions, comments, or have some information to share please email me.

Comments

[Ryan from California Security News]

Walter,
I know of three security companies that use PepperBall. All of them are in Southern California, two in San Diego County and one in Orange County. I don't know if they want their names published.
I received a letter from BSIS that explains that, according to them, private security can use PepperBall. You have to remember that private persons can only use pepper spray for defense, so use of the PAVA rounds is limited.

[Walter]

What companies use pepper ball? I find it hard to think that private security could use this.