Tasers and Pepper Spray

[Bikewer]

Our department just recalled our old "pepper spray" (oleoresin caspicum) and issued new stuff that's supposed to be compatible with our soon-to-be-issued Taser device.

Supposedly, there was some chance that if you sprayed a suspect with pepper-spray, and then taser'ed him, he might burst into flame.

Now this seems rather unlikely to me, most of these pepper-spray vehicles are essentially water. The chance of an external spark from the taser seems remote as well.

Sounds suspiciously like an urban legend to me, ala the cell-phone-at-the-gas-pump thing.

I've been unable to find any reference to this supposed phenomenon on sites like Snopes or Urban Legends, however.

 

[ktesibios]

With the phasing out of CFCs, some aerosols now use flammable propellants like isobutane.

Also, I don't think capsicum resin is water-soluble (which is why a drink of water doesn't do much for the burn from a hot pepper). Your spray might include a flammable solvent like alcohol.

Check the can and see if there are any flammability warnings on it.

 

[Bikewer]

A bit of further research found that some of the older jobs did indeed use a partially alchohol-based vehicle.

They did note that the alcohol was designed to rapidly evaporate, leaving a rather narrow window of opportunity for combustion. I suppose it's one of those "it might happen, so we better cover our arshes" sort of things.

 

[Hellbound]

You know, while I have notihing constructive to add, this discussion has given me an idea for a great new party trick...

 

[Agammamon]

You'd have to have done something really, really bad to deserve pepper spraying, tasering, and then being set on fire.

















But it'd be cool to see though.

 

[rustypouch]

"For me, pepper, I put it on my plate."