By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Some recent changes made to Precinct 2 by Constable Jimmy Fullen include a high-water rescue vehicle which was donated from a private individual. This is stored in Galveston and is available to all first responders in the region for transporting people out of flooded areas.
Constable Fullen has added pepper ball launchers which replace the tazers that his deputies use in dealing with suspects. “It’s a more efficient non-lethal tool and it doesn’t require my officers to be in close proximity to the suspect. Plus, with the taser if a person had on thick clothing, it wouldn’t work properly,” explained Fullen.
The pepper ball launchers are a distinct orange color and are harnessed on the front of the deputies’ belts. His deputies have all been trained in the proper use of the tool which included not aiming above the shoulders.
A pepper ball is about the size of a marble and will impact a person, causing an initial reaction. The ball then releases a non-lethal but very uncomfortable pepper cloud combined with tear gas. “We can use them very well for crowd control by shooting at the ground,” said Fullen.
Fullen compares the pepper to a very spicy salsa magnified thousands of times.
