OC will not be drawn and used against a subject holding a firearm.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Only if the subject is armed with a knife

Answer: (A)

In OC use-of-force decisions, safety and threat assessment guide how and when chemical agents are deployed. Pepper spray is intended to create enough separation and time to de-escalate and gain control without increasing danger to bystanders or the officer. When a subject is actively holding a firearm, the situation becomes a high-risk threat where immediate stopping power is required, and OC is unlikely to provide a reliable or timely solution. The spray can take effect gradually and may not deter a determined armed subject quickly enough, and it can complicate the officer’s ability to respond or control the firearm if it’s discharged or if vision is impaired.

Because of those safety and effectiveness concerns, policies commonly state that OC should not be drawn and used against someone who is armed with a firearm. The goal is to avoid creating a scenario where deploying a chemical agent escalates risk rather than reduces it, and to rely on distance, cover, verbal commands, and other approved options to neutralize the threat.

Other options in the choices don’t fit because they imply OC is acceptable in that firearm-threatening context, which contradicts standard safety practices.