Use of Chemical Agents

Year Published: 1977

Creator: Murray Woroner

Description: This film, "Use of Chemical Agents" (1977) was part of a police training film series produced by Murray Woroner and Woroner Films and released by Motorola. It provides instruction for police on the use of chemical agents, including tear gas, smoke, and irritant gas, to control riot and hostage situations.

00:00 A police officer dispatched to a domestic dispute escalating into an officer-involved shooting. 1:12. A sniper situation where an officer is under fire from an old park building. 2:01 Responding units are directed to the operational equipment locker for a tactical response, for specialized gear. 2:42 The on-scene officer briefs the captain on the sniper, identifying him as "Bobby" and noting a possible second person in the building, highlighting the lack of initial information about the suspect's mental state or weapon type. 3:09 Officers are geared up with jackets and weapons while the captain stresses the need for more information. 3:57 The tactical team prepares to extract a female from the second floor of the building, and the sergeant instructs his team on their entry plan. 4:48 Police begin negotiations with Bobby, repeatedly calling for him to surrender with his hands up, while tactical positions are confirmed for potential engagement. 6:24 The film then shifts to a riot scenario, reflecting on a past incident where intelligence pointed to major trouble. 6:39 A crowd is incited by a speaker, creating a tense atmosphere. 7:41 Police officers struggle to maintain control, emphasizing the importance of not overreacting and holding the line against the crowd. 8:10 Officers prepare and deploy tear gas, highlighting the training required for effective use of chemical agents in crowd control. 9:14 The film explains that chemical agents can spark panic and stresses the importance of proper training and knowing when and how to control adversaries. 10:01 It demonstrates the use of bullhorns and pepper spray as initial agents in crowd dispersal, aiming to break up the riot with minimal injury. 11:44 The film emphasizes that small departments often lack chemical agent training but that officers must know how to respond differently to riots versus one-on-one confrontations. 11:56 It then returns to the barricaded suspect scenario (Bobby), explaining that without hostages, the goal is to force the suspect out rather than risking entry. 12:11 Police issue a final warning to Bobby, threatening tear gas deployment. 12:37 Tear gas is deployed into Bobby's location, forcing him out, and officers move in to apprehend him. 13:34 Paramedics attend to Bobby for CS gas exposure. 14:00 The film provides an overview of various chemical agents: HC (white smoke) for cover, CN (tear gas) for indoor/outdoor use with burning effects, and CS (irritant gas) as a more potent, lasting agent causing extreme burning, coughing, and nausea. 15:09 It underscores the critical importance of a properly fitted and checked gas mask for officer safety and details two dissemination methods: continuous discharge (burning smoke) and blast/expulsion (non-burning powder). 16:09 Four basic delivery systems are presented: grenades, projectiles (for barricaded situations, not crowds), foggers (for large, moving crowds), and aerosol irritants (for close-up, one-on-one situations, used with caution). 20:00 The film concludes by stressing the environmental factors affecting chemical agent use (e.g., proximity to hospitals, weather, wind direction) and the necessity of providing escape routes in riot control to disperse, not trap, crowds. 20:51 It reiterates the best response to a barricaded suspect: locate, isolate, evacuate, and then use chemical agents systematically, starting with adjoining rooms and then the suspect's room. 21:41 Finally, it emphasizes prompt fresh air and medical attention for suspects, and the overall importance of training, decisiveness, and organization in using chemical agents to maintain control without injury to anyone involved.

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57SsZigFcdY

Metadata Source:YouTube