And in terms of effectiveness, then by those standards cops in the United States should not carry tazers because they are only marginally effective.
Never had the pleasure of being TASEd, eh? (with a real TASER, employing the two darts)
As I posted, he is in California and, while he used to be a "gun guy" I think he wants something his very liberal current wife will allow. To be honest, I think the "guns" are legal in California but the pepper balls are not..?
California does not allow any pepper spray systems that launch projectiles.
"Penal Code Title 2: Control of Deadly Weapons Chapter 4: Tear Gas Weapons Article 1: General Provisions Section 12403.7
Notwithstanding any other law, any person may purchase, possess, or use tear gas and tear gas weapons for the projection or release of tear gas if the tear gas and tear gas weapons are used solely for self-defense purposes, subject to the following requirements:
(a) No person convicted of a felony or any crime involving an assault under the laws of the United States, the State of California, or any other state, government, or country or convicted of misuse of tear gas under subdivision (g) shall purchase, possess, or use tear gas or tear gas weapons.
(b) No person who is addicted to any narcotic drug shall purchase, possess, or use tear gas or tear gas weapons.
(c) No person shall sell or furnish any tear gas or tear gas weapon to a minor.
(d) No person who is a minor shall purchase, possess, or use tear gas or tear gas weapons.
(e) (1) No person shall purchase, possess, or use any tear gas weapon that expels a projectile, or that expels the tear gas by any method other than an aerosol spray, or that contains more than 2.5 ounces net weight of aerosol spray."