Oleoresin Capsicum O/C Training

This Course meets or exceeds the requirements set out by the Texas Department of Public Safety Regulatory Services Division for Pepper Spray.

This course was updated per the PSB – “OC” Lesson Plan dated 10/30/2019.

Pepper Spray / Chemical Dispensing Device Questions

1. Is a separate training certificate necessary for students as proof of having completed the Pepper Spray Course?

• Yes. The Pepper Spray Training Course may be taught as a component of the Level III training course, but can also be offered as a separate supplement to Level III training received previously.
• A separate training certificate will be provided following the successful completion of this training course.

2. Will the Pepper Spray Training Course require the students to be sprayed?

No. The use of live targets, and the spraying of students, is within the discretion of the instructor and is not required for passage of the course.

3. If I have previously had Pepper Spray Training will the department provide a current certificate?

No. To receive a Pepper Spray training certificate, the current approved curriculum must be completed.

4. If I previously received training on the use of pepper spray, can I continue to carry the spray or do I need to receive the newly approved training?

• The prior training material has been superseded by the new curriculum and is no longer approved by the Private Security Board.
• For purposes of Penal Code Section 46.05’s defense to prosecution, security officers must have received the currently approved training on the use of a chemical dispensing device in conjunction with the board’s approved Level III training.

5. Can a non-commission security officer receive the Pepper Spray Training?

• Yes, however the Private Security Board has approved training on the use of a chemical dispensing device as a supplement to the Level III training curricula.
• The defensive tactics and use of force components of the Level III training course provide the background training necessary to ensure the officer’s use of the device is safe, appropriate, and authorized.
• The Pepper Spray Training is therefore approved only for those who have successfully completed the Level III training.

6. As a Level III or Level IV Instructor, am I required to teach Pepper Spray?

The approval as a Level III or Level IV instructor authorizes the instructor to teach the Pepper Spray Training course, but whether this course component is taught as part of the Level III training course is within the discretion of the instructor.

7. Is there approved training or certification I must obtain prior to instructing the pepper spray component?

• The approval as a Level III or Level IV instructor authorizes the instructor to teach the Pepper Spray Training course.
• It is the individual instructor’s sole responsibility to determine whether he or she is qualified or competent to teach the Pepper Spray Training course and to seek any additional training he or she may feel is necessary.

8. Will commissioned security officers be required to repeat Level III training in order to receive the Pepper Spray Certification?

No. The Pepper Spray Training is approved when administered to a security officer who has successfully completed the board approved Level III training.

The carrying of a chemical dispensing device is prohibited by Penal Code Section 46.05.

Subsection (f) of Section 46.05 provides a defense to prosecution for security officers who have received training on the use of a chemical dispensing device that is either

1. Provided by TCOLE or
2. Approved by the Private Security Board.

The Private Security Board has approved training on the use of a chemical dispensing device when administered to a security officer who has successfully completed the board approved Level III training.

• This course will suffice as an initial certification course if combined with skills training instruction.
• The spraying of static targets and/or students is at the instructor’s
  discretion and is not required for completion of the course.

Description

• This course is perfect for corporate, federal and state security officers and executive protection officers.
• This course is designed to be a basic OC course in theory and does not focus on one manufacturer of OC.

Although there are many different types of OC on the market, the use and deployment of OC in a Use of Force situation does not change from brand to brand.

Users are guided by Graham v. Connor 490 U.S. 386 (1989) was a United States Supreme Court and the objective reasonableness standard in the deployment of OC.

Students that are receiving this training for initial certification should experience specifically designed practical exercises in the use of OC, the contamination of OC and the decontamination of OC.

This course discusses the following:

• The use of chemical weapons in history.
• Chemical weapons used in law enforcement and security, as well as their effects, advantages, and disadvantages.
• The properties of pepper spray.
• The steps in deploying pepper spray.
• The potential problems in the deployment of pepper spray, and how to avoid or minimize them.
• The steps in decontamination following pepper spray use.
• Factors contributing to, signs indicating predisposition toward, and appropriate responses to minimize the probability of injury.
• The legal challenges and liabilities in pepper use, and the impact of media coverage on community relations following pepper deployments by various agencies.
• A written exam.

Initial certification should include:

• Defensive maneuvers
• Verbal Communication
• Drawing the OC
• Deploying the OC
• Contamination and decontamination of methods
• Student contamination and decontamination
• Questions/Answers

Skills should be taught by a OC Instructor and documentation should be provided to affirm that the training was completed.