Cartagena City Council has approved new regulations allowing Local Police officers to use OC gel launchers as a non-lethal option in high-risk interventions. The decision was taken by the council’s governing board, chaired by Mayor Noelia Arroyo.

The JPX devices fire a gel containing oleoresin capsicum, a substance derived from chilli peppers. Unlike traditional aerosols, the system offers greater accuracy at distance and causes temporary effects such as intense tearing, eye irritation and breathing difficulty. According to the approved text, symptoms usually subside within 30 to 45 minutes without permanent harm.

Only officers who complete a specific training course will be authorised as operators, and designated instructors will oversee ongoing training. The launchers will be treated legally as weapons, stored in secure, access-controlled armouries with video surveillance and recorded under strict inventory systems.

The regulations state the devices may only be used where there is a serious and rational risk to life, physical integrity or public safety, and always in line with principles of proportionality. Medical assessment will be required after use, and particular caution is advised for pregnant women, elderly people, children and those with respiratory difficulties.