Why is the use of a chemical agent considered an effective tool in crowd control?

The effectiveness of using a chemical agent in crowd control primarily lies in its ability to disperse crowds. When deployed, chemical agents create an immediate physical response in individuals, such as irritation of the eyes, throat, and skin. This response compels people to move away from the source of the chemical agent in order to seek relief, thereby facilitating crowd dispersal without the need for direct confrontation or physical force.

In a crowd control situation, the goal is often to restore order while minimizing the risk of injury to both officers and civilians. By using chemical agents as a means to disperse crowds, law enforcement can manage potentially volatile situations more effectively and maintain public safety. Additionally, this approach allows officers to create space between individuals and does so in a manner that typically avoids escalation into violence.

The other options do not fully encompass the primary purpose of using chemical agents; while they may touch on secondary effects, they do not capture the fundamental reason why these tools are employed in crowd control.