If you carry pepper spray but can’t grab it fast, a police officer told me it’s pointless. But it’s what you do before you need your pepper spray that really matters.
Why I Started Asking Police Officers About Pepper Spray
I’ve been on a bit of a mission lately: walking up to police officers and asking them to talk to me about personal safety and pepper spray.
Yes, really. And as an introvert-leaning person, this feels extremely awkward.
But I have some questions about pepper spray and staying safe as a woman, and I needed answers deeper than the vague results I have been finding online.
This is the third officer I’ve impromptly interviewed, and each one has said something that stuck with me, things you don’t usually hear in generic “stay safe” content. This one in particular delivered.
What He Said Actually Matters
“99% of bad guys are looking for easy targets”
He said from firsthand experience, the overwhelming majority of attackers are looking for someone distracted and not paying attention. They’re not looking for a fight, they’re looking for the path of least resistance.
That’s important information. It means a lot of the protection women carry (pepper spray, personal alarms, keys between fingers, etc.) only matters if you’re also doing the foundational things first. Prevention is best.
Awareness Helps, But LOOKING Aware Is the Real Key
He didn’t just say “be aware of your surroundings.” He said you need to look aware.
So it’s possibly equally as important to notice a potential threat, as it is for the potential threat to notice you noticing them.
- Head up
- Eye contact
- Phone away
- No headphones (I know, I know 😭)
The no headphones thing is painful. But his point was that the visual signals of being present matter. A person walking with their head down, earbuds in, staring at their phone is a visual sign of someone unaware of their surroundings and can be approached unexpectedly.
This is a shift that costs nothing and changes everything, stopping many potential situations.
“If You Need Your Pepper Spray and Can’t Grab It Fast, It’s Pointless”
This is exactly why I built the Cari Pepper Spray Pocket.
If you’re carrying pepper spray but can’t get to it quickly, you might as well not have it. In a real situation, there isn’t time to dig through a bag or fumble with a zipper. The spray needs to be accessible for you to quickly use it.
His take on the Cari Pepper Spray Pocket? “That’s such a good idea because it needs to be accessible.”
Heck yeah, sir! 💪
What This Means for You
If you’re carrying pepper spray right now, wherever it is, ask yourself honestly: can you get to it in under two seconds? With one hand? Without looking?
If the answer is no, the tool isn’t working for you…yet.
The Cari Pepper Spray Pocket is designed specifically for that problem. It attaches to the inside of your wire-free bra (not buried in a bag), and is designed for a fast, one-motion upward draw. So if you need your pepper spray, you can actually use it.
The Real Personal Safety Framework (According to a Police Officer)
Based on this conversation and the two interviews before it, here’s what the officers have consistently told me:
Step 1: Prevention through both being and LOOKING aware. Be alert before anything happens. Head up, eyes scanning and making eye contact, phone in your pocket, no headphones.
Step 2: Have your tools actually ready. Bring your pepper spray in a dedicated, fast-access pocket.
But let me make myself clear: none of this is about instilling fear. It’s about being the kind of person who doesn’t have to panic or stay home because you’ve already prepared and empowered. 💪
Not Sure How Ready You Actually Are?
I built a free Solo Safety Quiz for exactly this! Answer a few quick questions and find out where your gaps actually are, whether that’s awareness habits, the tools you carry, or how fast you can access them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does pepper spray actually work for self-defense?
Law enforcement and personal safety experts consistently recommend it as one of the most effective non-lethal deterrents available to civilians. The key word is accessible, because spray you can’t reach quickly won’t help in a real situation.
What do police officers recommend for women’s personal safety?
Based on interviews with multiple officers, the consistent recommendations are: stay aware of your surroundings, avoid looking distracted (head up, phone away, no headphones), and make sure any defensive tool you carry can be accessed quickly.
Where should I carry pepper spray?
On your body, in a location you can reach with one hand without looking. The wearable Cari Pepper Spray Pocket is ideal. Conversely, bag compartments and keychains offer significantly slower to access in a real situation, and can give a false sense of safety.
What is the Cari Pepper Spray Pocket?
The Cari Pepper Spray Pocket connects to your existing wire-free bra with an elastic band. The detachable stretchy fabric pocket holds standard pepper spray canisters. It’s designed for a fast one-motion upward draw so you can access your spray quickly when it counts. It is built for women who want a better way to bring pepper spray during daily life and exercise.
Is it important to look confident for personal safety?
According to police officers interviewed for this series, yes! Appearing aware and alert, not just being aware, is a significant factor. Attackers selecting targets often look for people who appear distracted or unaware. Visible confidence and alertness can reduce your likelihood of being targeted.
How fast should I be able to access my pepper spray?
In under two seconds, with one hand, without breaking stride or looking down. If you can’t do that with your current setup, rethink where and how you carry pepper spray.
Cari Project makes the Cari Pepper Spray Pocket, a wearable pocket designed for fast, one-motion pepper spray access.