Aerosol chemical agents have been around for many years. The impact of the use of these chemical agents wasn't significant until 1976 when Mr. Gardner Whitcomb introduced an Oleoresin Capsicum (pepper spray) formulation. At the request of Mr. Whitcomb, the first official OC training manual was co-written by Roland Ouellette and Ed Nowicki. OC has proven to be more effective than CS or CN, and as a result, numerous companies now manufacture OC aerosol sprays.
Since the introduction of the OCAT® "Oleoresin Capsicum Aerosol Training" program in 1991, thousands of instructors and countless basic users have been trained from agencies such as healthcare, federal, military, law enforcement, security, and corrections. The OCAT® program is not brand specific and addresses the proper use of all OC products.
Personal Protection Consultants Inc. owns and administers the OCAT® training programs through a network of In-House Instructors. PPC, Inc. instructors have many years of law enforcement experience, as well as more than 25 years of OCAT® training experience.
What is Oleoresin Capsicum? Commonly called "Pepper Spray", Oleoresin Capsicum is a convenient aerosol spray that is used as a protection device. When used before hands-on defense, there is less risk of injuries to all parties.
Effects of OC? OC affects the skin, face, eyes, and respiratory system and is usually immediately debilitating. This court-defensible deterrent is reliable and has no long-term harmful effects on the recipient. OC is widely accepted as a safe control option for human service personnel.
Course Description
The OCAT® program is designed for public safety officers who deal with conflict or potential violence. This includes corporate security, federal, state and local law enforcement organizations, contract security companies, academic or healthcare law-enforcement and security, corrections, military police, probation and parole, bail enforcement, and executive protection. Nearly 10,000 OCAT® instructors have been trained worldwide.
Through a combination of Practical Exercises and Classroom instruction you will learn how to:
- Identify the stages of conflict in order to: recognize the threat, reduce the threat, and determine how and when to use force.
- Apply state-of-the-art tactical concepts such as: spraying techniques, disengagement, proper defensive positions, methods of movement, multiple opponent defense, contact and cover system, defense against moving attacks, ground defense, and drawing techniques.
- Avoid liability suits through: Certified training, understanding the effects of OC spray, identifying factors which justify OC use, and proper OC incident documentation.
- OCAT® is a non-product specific training program. Once trained and certified you and your agency decide which brand, canister size, heat and spray pattern suit your needs.
Course Topics
- What is OC?
- Heat of OC, Concentration Levels and Calculating Capsaicin Content
- Spray Patterns
- Skin Sensitivity, Effects on the Eyes and Respiratory System
- Other Effects and After Effects
- How to Use OC
- General After Use Guidelines and Post Exposure Cleansing
- In-Custody Deaths and Recognizing Excited Delirium
- General OC Information, Number of Bursts, Flammability, Area Recovery, Storage and Shelf Life
- Safety Data Sheets
- Resistance and Control Management
- Officer and Individual Factors and Escalation Through the Levels of Control
- Recognizing the Threat
- Elements of Reporting Resistance and Control
- Agency Policies and Procedures
- Principles of Balance, Movement, Center and Reaction Time
- Defensive Position
- Relative Positioning
- Drawing Techniques
- Spraying techniques for single or multiple aggressors
- Contact and Cover System
- Moving Attack
- Ground Defense
- Defense from an OC Attack
- Methods of Instruction (Instructor Course)
Certification Levels
- 8-hour OCAT® In-House Instructor Course-Valid for 4 years
- 4-hour OCAT® Basic Course- Valid for up to 3 years
OCAT® In-House Instructor Certification
- Eight hour course developed by Edward J. Nowicki and Roland W. Ouellette
- Tactical concepts focused on how, why, and when to use OC in a variety of situations make this program the most effective, court defensible, and state-of-the-art OC training program of its kind in the country.
- In-House Instructor Certification entitles you to train, certify, and re-certify your personnel in the OCAT® Basic course.
- In-House Instructor Certification is valid for four years.
- The OCAT® In-House Instructor program can be held at your training facility or students may attend open enrollment instructor programs.
- Training fee includes manual, certificate, and one year enrollment in our instructor support program.
In-House Instructor and Instructor-Trainer Support Program
Included in the original certification fee is a one year enrollment in the Instructor Authorization and Support Program. Subsequent years are billed annually at $55. This nominal support fee covers costs associated with maintaining a professional support system.
Benefits include:
- Recognition of Basic Course training you conduct for your staff.
- Maintenance and recognition of Basic Course student records.
- Access to the MEMBERS area of the PPC, Inc. website.
- Ability to enter your class rosters under your MEMBER Profile.
- Basic Course certification wallet cards and certificates generated by the website after your class roster is entered and validated.
- Maintenance of your instructor course records, including certification and re-certification.
- Access to your instructor wallet card and certificate under your MEMBER profile.
- Access to manual updates and course paperwork under your MEMBER profile.
- Day-to-day technical support.
- Information on agency, technical, and laboratory studies involving OC products.
- Access to professional training videos to assist you when teaching the OCAT® Basic course available under your MEMBER profile.
Course Pricing and Training Options
- Open Enrollment 8-hour In-House Instructor Courses- $299 per person
- On-Site 8-hour In-House Instructor Courses- Starting at $350 per person (minumum of 10) plus expenses
In-House Training Policy
Personal Protection Consultants, Inc. (PPCI) is in the business of training individuals currently employed as Public Safety Officers (Law-Enforcement, Corrections, Probation/ Parole, Security) in the use of OC Aerosols, Handcuffs, Batons, and Defensive Tactics.
Individuals certified as Instructors in PPCI training programs are certified for the sole purpose of returning to their primary agencies to train and certify their Public Safety officers in the PPCI Basic Courses, in accordance with the most current PPCI administrative procedures. Certified Instructors may only train/certify officers employed by their primary agency. Instructors are NOT permitted to train/certify officers unless they are employed by the instructor’s primary agency.
For-Profit Training: Certified Instructors may NOT charge fees/tuition in exchange for training officers in the PPCI Basic Courses. PPCI specifically prohibits training businesses/ academies from advertising/ offering PPCI training programs in exchange for fees/tuition.
Deviations from the above policy must be approved by PPCI in writing, in advance of any scheduled training. Instructors who violate the In-House Training Policy may have their certification suspended or revoked.
Personal Protection Consultants, Inc. does not guarantee the suitability of this training program for any individual or agency. Individuals and agencies must decide if this training program meets their needs before implementation. Certification in this training program does not license an individual to carry or use OC aerosols. It is the responsibility of the individual student and agency to research the legal requirements in his/her jurisdiction before attending or implementing this training program. The information contained within this training program may only be used by public and private law-enforcement officers while in the performance of official duties. Any unauthorized, illegal or unethical use of the information in this training program is prohibited. Although every effort has been made for this training course, manual, and related materials to be complete and accurate, it is impossible to predict, discuss or plan for every circumstance or situation which might arise in the course of training, or when encountering a resistive or aggressive individual. Each trainee assumes the risk of loss, injury, and damages associated with this training and use of the information obtained through this program. Therefore, the trainee must always take into consideration the trainee’s experience, physical abilities, professional responsibilities, agency procedures, legal requirements and the recommendations and techniques contained in this training course, manual, and related materials, before deciding which techniques should be used and under what circumstances. PERSONAL PROTECTION CONSULTANTS, INC. CANNOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THE TRAINING, MANUALS OR RELATED MATERIALS. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSLY DISAVOWED.