Paintball Marker in "Cops"?

[Thor]

I turned on the tv the other night and found myself in the middle of a "Cops" episode were a team (non-SWAT) was about to enter the home of a suspect. I noticed that one of the officers was using a paintball marker, or at least a weapon with the very same visual appearance. It wasn't a drill.

Any idea what it was and why it was used?

[Death.]

Most likely shoots pepperballs, a less-than lethal device in use by the LEs
http://www.securizine.com/ProductoftheWeek/PepperballLauncher.jpg

Paintballs filled with mace, essentially.

[Thor]

Ah, there you go. Thanks.

[Gentle Norsemen]

Can I buy that online? Would be funny shooting your friends while they are passed out.

[mas-36]

I've read somewhere that more and more riot police are using these paintball guns, shooting balls of blue paint which stains clothing and skin for a long time (1-2 weeks?). This allows for suspects to be quickly identified and caught if they dare show themselves in public in the near future after a riot. If I'm not mistaken, a couple of years ago during the Paris riots, police used this technique with very good results.

[Death.]

There's several variants of the ammunition:
- Pepper rounds
-Training rounds (inert scented powder-filled)
-Glass breaking rounds (nylon)
- Marking rounds
-Water rounds (training)

[Gentle Norsemen]

I've read somewhere that more and more riot police are using these paintball guns, shooting balls of blue paint which stains clothing and skin for a long time (1-2 weeks?). This allows for suspects to be quickly identified and caught if they dare show themselves in public in the near future after a riot. If I'm not mistaken, a couple of years ago during the Paris riots, police used this technique with very good results.

Should have the rounds in white.Skeet skeet :)

[velvet-cream]

Has some MP5 lines to it.

[Death.]

Has some MP5 lines to it.

Tippman A-5 Paintball gun

[X7 =paintball=]

I saw a whole documentary on pepperballs and the use of them and they are very effective and sometimes just have to strike arround you.