A safety training in San Bruno this week went bad for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, when chemicals used for crowd control leaked into the air around Portola Elementary School, affecting more than a dozen students and at least one adult.
Tara Moriarty, director of communications for the Sheriff’s Office, said the agency was doing a routine training session for crowd control tactics inside a structure on an isolated section of the San Bruno Jail property.
Chemicals began leaking into the outside air at about 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, including CS (2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, a component of tear gas) and OC gas (oleoresin capsicum, commonly known as pepper spray).
“Unfortunately, gas from inside the structure drifted outside to a nearby elementary school where teachers and students reported experiencing symptoms including burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat,” Moriarty said. “The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and other Bay Area law enforcement agencies have been conducting training at this site for more than 20 years. This is an unprecedented situation that we take very seriously.”
Moriarty said she believed firefighters treated about 20 children and one adult at the scene and no one was hospitalized. A message left for the San Bruno Fire Department wasn’t immediately returned Wednesday.
“We sincerely apologize to Portola Elementary School, its faculty and students, and their families for this unforeseen event which must have been especially scary for children,” Moriarty said. “Members of our command staff visited the school in person to explain what happened, and to apologize for the mishap. In light of this incident, the department is pausing all future chemical agent training exercises while it reviews current practices to make it safer for our neighbors and minimize any impacts on the community.”
Moriarty said Sheriff’s Office officials notified the San Bruno Police Department and Fire Department prior to the training.
These trainings are critical to law enforcement because they allow peace officers to test the safety of equipment for potential leaks, and they provide staff with hands-on experience with chemical agents, preparing them both physically and mentally for real-life situations,” Moriarty said.