Denver Police Stocking Up on Pepper Spray

When Democrats arrive in Denver for the National Convention later this month, they may be a bit safer than they might have been before city officials ordered 88 Mark IV launchers and projectiles. They will set the city back something in the six figures range.

The Mark IV launchers fire special plastic balls loaded with a substance like pepper spray. The balls are fragile enough to withstand the concussion of firing yet shatter on contact. They are an outgrowth of the technology developed by the paintball industry and can be fired from up to 100 feet away. One of the main advantages is the ability to pinpoint targets and use the unpleasant chemical concoction to disperse crowds, should they become unruly.

Denver officials requested that Veritas, a subsidiary of the Louisville-based company Security With Advanced Technology, Inc., arrange for delivery of the 88 launchers before the Democratic National Convention. The event, scheduled for August 25 – 28, will be held at the Pepsi Center. Organizers and city officials expect thousands of protesters to gather at a variety of sites in the metropolitan area.