Although today pepper spray is wildly popular as a self defense device, originally the use of pepper spray was restricted to law enforcement personnel. In fact, The NYPD and the FBI were some of the first agencies to adopt the use of pepper spray, in 1991. After this date, more and more police forces began adding this useful product to their standard arsenal. Today, nearly all law enforcement personnel in the country, and also across the world, carry pepper spray.

For law enforcement, pepper spray presents a nonlethal and harmless way to subdue attackers. Though police officers do have guns at their disposal, in many cases the situation does not warrant potentially lethal harm. Pepper spray, though it will take anyone down for at least fifteen minutes, leaves no lasting side effects. When you consider that most police officers' other choices are a gun or a baton, you can easily see why pepper spray fulfills a critical need in their arsenal of tools.

Its effectiveness is universal; unlike some other products, pepper spray is not affected by the weight of the target or whether they have consumed drugs or alcohol. It requires very little skill to use, yet will effectively disable anyone long enough for you to get away, or for a police officer to complete their arrest.

Another benefit of pepper spray for law enforcement personnel is its ability to control multiple suspects or attackers. Unlike a gun, baton, or stun gun, pepper spray can be used against several targets simultaneously, making it ideal for controlling a crowd or a group of attackers. A fogger pepper spray, in particular, is an excellent choice for those who may be confronting groups of violent attackers. While this is essential for law enforcement agents who may come up against a street riot or other large and violent crowds, this fact is just an important for those who are worried about being attacked by a gang or a group of muggers.

Many of the same reasons why pepper spray is popular with law enforcement makes this tool an excellent choice for civilian use. It is nonlethal, so you don't have to worry about hurting someone while trying to protect yourself. It can be used if you are attacked by more than one person. And perhaps best of all, it can be used effectively with very little training or experience, unlike some other self defense products. Though you might think that something used by law enforcement probably requires a great deal of training, in fact pepper spray works just like an aerosol can of paint or hairspray.

Often, the very same concentration of pepper spray that police officers carry is available to the general public. Get yourself some pepper spray, just like the police officers use, so that you can protect yourself. With crime rates increasing by the year, you can't rely on the police to protect you. Though protecting you is their responsibility, they can't be everywhere at once. If someone starts attacking you, you don't have minutes to wait for the sirens to approach.