The Royal Gibraltar Police’s latest batch of recruits got to grips with the painful effects of Captor Spray during a training session at Devil’s Tower Camp yesterday afternoon. 

A statement from the RGP follows below:

As part of their seven day long Public and Personal Safety Training (PPST) course,  the recruits were sprayed with the incapacitant spray to learn about its effects first  hand. 

Prior to this last voluntary exercise in the intensive week of training – all new recruits passed their PPST course today. 

All Response Team officers in the force carry the spray, which is used as a non lethal piece of protective equipment used against violent offenders or those resisting  arrest. 

The effects of the spray are an immediate loss of vision, short-term pain and extreme  discomfort, with symptoms that last for around 30 minutes. 

No permanent damage is caused and no medical treatment is needed. 

Sergeant Paul Chiara, who is the RGP’s lead officer on the Use of Force, said:  “There are two main reasons why we do this. Firstly, so officers understand the  effects of Captor Spray and they can practice the relevant after care on persons that  have been exposed to it.  

“Even if someone has assaulted a police officer and has been sprayed, we have a  duty of care to our suspects and we have to be able to control them if they have  been incapacitated – as it is painful.  

“The other reason is to experience how bad the pain is, as the likelihood of officers  being exposed to cross-contamination is quite high. This way the officers get to feel  what the effects will be like in case they are accidentally sprayed, so that they don’t  

start panicking and they know how to take care of themselves whilst other officers  can take care of the suspects.”

Captor Spray is similar to pepper spray and is dispensed from a handheld canister in  a liquid stream. 

The recruits are currently in Week 7 of a 23 week intensive training school. On  completion of their school, they will join a Response Team for a two year probation  period. 

In addition, three Gibraltar Defence Police and two Royal Falkland Islands Police  officers are in the RGP Training School. 

The recruits come from a wide variety of backgrounds including the military, the  Gibraltar Health Authority, the financial industry and a professional chef.