St. Paul Police Testing 'Less Than Lethal' PepperBall Guns

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Police in St. Paul have begun a pilot program for a "less than lethal" technology that officers can use when responding to a potential threat from a person armed with a knife or bat.

The Pioneer Press reports that some St. Paul police officers began carrying PepperBall devices last week. The devices look like handguns with an orange bar on top. Instead of shooting bullets, they fire a powder packet, about the size of a paintball with effects similar to pepper spray.

The idea behind PepperBall is that it's more effective than pepper spray or a Taser, as officers can use it at a greater distance, up to 60 feet. Officers are trained not to fire at the head, neck or groin.

For the pilot program, 100 St. Paul officers who work in the city's Central District will have access to the technology for the next few months.