Recent News Articles about pepper spray.By Danielle M. Williamson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF(7/20/09) dawilliamson@telegram.comFor years, state Rep. George N. Peterson, R-Grafton, has not been able to comprehend why Massachusetts, unlike the vast majority of states in the country, makes its residents get a Firearm Identification Card to carry Mace and pepper spray. So, for years, Mr. Peterson has signed onto a bill that would eliminate this requirement. This year, he and 10 other Republicans are trying again. “I don't know why there seems to be such reticence to allow people to purchase Mace to protect themselves,” Mr. Peterson said. “I've heard from constituents and know (the permit) is an obstacle. They've walked into places, been told you need an FID card, and walk out.” House Bill 2237, sponsored locally by Mr. Peterson and state Reps. Paul K. Frost, R-Auburn, and Todd M. Smola, R-Palmer, would let Massachusetts residents buy self-defense sprays such as Mace and pepper spray without a license. The current law requires individuals to apply for an FID card at their local police station. The application process includes a $25 fee, background check and fingerprinting. In general, it takes four weeks for the card to be issued. That's too long a waiting period, Mr. Peterson and other supporters of the bill believe. Women, who police and store owners say seek such sprays far more than men, should be able to immediately obtain the protection the nonlethal weapons can provide. But 27-year-old Kristie Lee McCaffrey, who works at Gobare Waxing and Lashes Studio in Worcester, was satisfied by the process through which she bought pepper spray. When she moved from Leominster to Worcester more than three years ago, she figured “it wouldn't hurt to have it around.” She was fingerprinted and photographed at the police station. Her background check was submitted to the state, and a month later, she picked up her card. Today, the spray is attached to her keychain. “It was an easy process,” Miss McCaffrey said. “I think people should have to get an FID card to purchase pepper spray. It can still land in the wrong hands, but at least they will have to work a little to get it. Going through the process, you realize it's definitely not a toy, and should be a little harder to get.” At Trippi's Uniforms in Shrewsbury, where Miss McCaffrey bought her pepper spray, joggers and college students most commonly buy pepper spray. “Most customers know they need to have a card,” said co-owner Marcie Trippi. “Some don't, and they walk away, puzzled. I don't see a problem with changing the law. It's not like you need to take a class. If that was part of it, and you were learning something, maybe it'd make sense.” Firearms Identification Cards for Mace and pepper spray are considered restricted permits, and unlike the requirements for getting a gun license, residents don't need to complete a firearms safety course. However, cards may be denied for the same reasons as gun permits: if the applicant has a criminal background, has been institutionalized or is an illegal immigrant. In Gardner, Deputy Police Chief Rock A. Barrieau can't remember a man ever applying for the sprays. “When the women find out it can take six weeks to get a permit, they're a little put off,” he said. In Worcester, 169 people have FID cards for chemical spray, according to Sgt. Kerry F. Hazelhurst. Licenses expire every six years. Mace and pepper spray licenses account for about 18 percent of the 917 active FID cards the department has issued. Sgt. Hazelhurst said his department doesn't object to eliminating the licensing requirement. At the same time, however, he acknowledged the possibility of the sprays being misused could increase. “Very rarely will we come across someone being assaulted by Mace,” the sergeant said, adding that he couldn't recall anyone using the spray in self-defense, either. “For the most part, it's being carried by women for protection.” Deputy Chief Barrieau noted that abolishing the licensing process wouldn't change how his officers enforce the law. If the sprays were used outside of the context of self-defense, users could be arrested and charged with assault and battery. “I can think of only one time we had a problem,” the deputy chief said. “There was a woman who applied for chemical spray, and the next day, she sprayed a guy on a bicycle who was close to her. The permit was revoked.” State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, said the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, of which he is vice chairman, will hold a public hearing on the bill in the fall. Mr. Brewer supports the change. “I would like to see domestic violence and victim support groups speak out for this,” he said. “We need to make it easier for people.” Mr. Peterson hopes legislators will see that the benefits of easier access to nonlethal sprays outweigh the potential risks. “The law we have is a little extreme,” he said. “If people are serious about protecting themselves, I anecdotally know, they'll go over the border and worry about the consequences after. That tells me it's not a viable law.” Fox Labs Pepper Spray Police Magnum Pepper Spray |
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