JACKSON, Wyo. — On Monday, Sept. 15, Town Council unanimously approved an update to the Jackson Police Department’s (JPD) use-of-force response policy to allow for the transition to safer 40 millimeter (mm) launchers, which deploy foam rounds.
“One of the things we changed was not necessarily the use of force, but the tools we are using in our less-lethal response,” JPD Chief of Police Michelle Weber told Town Council. “We went from beanbag shotguns to 40 mm.”
JPD Lieutenant Russ Ruschill gave a brief presentation about the new technology. Ruschill said that the police force has used 12-gauge shotguns for the past 22 years or more. He said that over the years, the JPD, along with agencies across the country, have converted the 12-gauge shotgun into a less-lethal weapon by loading it with “drag-stabilized beanbag rounds.”
Ruschill held up a shotgun’s lethal round, along with a less-lethal beanbag round. Ruschill emphasized that in the dark, it is easy to confuse the two types of ammunition.
“We want to move away from the 12-gauge round,” Ruschill said. “The shotguns are old. They are coming up on their service life. They are expensive to repair. We want to reduce the amount of possibility for error.”
Ruschill then showed the ammunition for a 40 mm launcher that fires foam rounds. He explained that a beanbag round from a shotgun has a small surface area, while the foam rounds have a large surface area, allowing its impact to disperse over a larger area.
“Why does that matter?” Ruschill asked. “Well, it matters because less-lethal — when I am talking about the 12-gauge round — is actually a bit of a misnomer. Under 20 feet, this [beanbag round] is a lethal round. So, I have to be very cognizant in a critical incident, making split-second decisions, that I am not close enough with this particular weapon that I am going to inflict deadly harm. It’s an outdated weapon.”
Ruschill said that the larger, foam rounds can be used at a closer range without inflicting deadly force. Additionally, the 40 mm platform allows officers to engage from a broader range of distances with more consistent accuracy, reducing the risk of serious injury. A foam round can be shot up to 200 meters, while a beanbag round is good for about 30 to 50 meters, according to Ruschill.
“So, I can pre-distance to solve my problem,” Ruschill said. “Really, it comes down to the safety of the people that we would use these on.”
According to the Town, the amendment to the use-of-force response policy also allows for the 40 mm launchers to deploy pepper spray, smoke and marking rounds when needed. The marking rounds leave ultraviolet paint on people, vehicles or animals, which assists with relocation efforts after an incident.
“This is great for not only people, but for animals,” Ruschill said. “If we have an incident where someone is being harmed by a bear or a moose, we can use these and disperse animals with OC [oleoresin capsicum — the chemical agent in pepper spray].”
Ruschill said that the less-lethal 40 mm is designed for critical incidents only. He said that the foam rounds might be deployed in an escalating situation when a potentially dangerous person is armed. At the end of the presentation, Councilor Jonathan Schechter commended the police department for their adherence to safety.
“I think this represents the thoughtfulness of the police force,” Schechter said. “So, thank you for everything you do for the community.”
Staff notes state that the ordinance change to the Police Department Policies and Procedures Manual will be made in the coming months.
