| Weapons of offense and defense that are used by | | | | extra-careful handling like a loaded gun. |
| law enforcement agents span a wide spectrum. | | | | Everyone cannot use guns. While law enforcement |
| There are guns, batons, tasers, tear gas, pepper | | | | agents are trained to use it, everybody may not be |
| spray, LED incapacitators, and some regional | | | | trained to use a gun the right way and aim correctly |
| specialties that are used to control criminals or | | | | at the target. But no training is required to use a |
| protestors. And some of these are used by ordinary | | | | pepper spray and anyone can use it just by looking |
| people also for self-protection. Of these, pepper | | | | at the instructions provided on the cover. Further, in |
| spray is among the easiest and best to use. | | | | the case of gun, everyone may not have the license |
| Guns are the most effective of weapons and are a | | | | to buy or use it. This problem also does not exist in |
| must to control people when things get out of hand | | | | the case of pepper spray. Everyone is free to buy it |
| or when the enemy is too dangerous. However, guns | | | | and use it. |
| can be used only as a last resort because they are | | | | Policemen have access to weapons like batons and |
| lethal and as such the risk element involved is too | | | | tasers, and self-defense gear like bulletproof vests, |
| high. A gun could accidentally wound an innocent | | | | riot helmets, and riot shields. Ordinary people generally |
| person in the vicinity. Further, law enforcement | | | | do not have access to such self-protection devices |
| agents do not prefer to wound even criminals fatally | | | | even though sometimes there could be situations |
| as it is preferred that all people are punished only | | | | that pose a threat to many people. Pepper spray, |
| after the due process of law. Pepper spray helps in | | | | which can do the jobs of both offense and defense |
| controlling the enemy without lethally wounding them. | | | | for them, would come in extremely handy at such |
| Pepper spray is easy to carry. A gun is heavy, and | | | | junctures. |
| needs a holster to be carried around. As against this, | | | | There are also dog repellents called canine pepper |
| a few vials of pepper spray can be easily carried in | | | | spray. Many companies manufacture it separately |
| pocket or backpack without the burden of extra | | | | from the pepper spray meant to be used on human |
| weight or the need for an extra covering to carry it | | | | beings. These can be ideally carried while going for |
| around. Further, a gun that is not loaded is no use in | | | | morning walks, while going jogging, or while traveling |
| an emergency, and a gun that is loaded has to be | | | | on foot through wooded areas or less inhabited |
| handled extremely carefully. As different from this, a | | | | areas. Even children can be trained to use canine |
| pepper spray is always in a 'loaded' condition, and | | | | pepper spray while playing in the parks etc. as far as |
| ready for use at any time. It does not need any | | | | they are big enough to use it with discretion. |