When pepper spray was created, it was meant to prevent imminent injury. But over the last decade or so, “in many cases, it is being misused,” the inventor of the weapon says.

In an interview with HuffPost Rise, Kamran Loghman shares how he came up with the idea for pepper spray, explains the intended use of the product, and reflects on his hope for law enforcement and the future.

“Used properly, pepper-spray is not a form of attack,” Loghman says. “It is meant to reduce injury. It is used to prevent problems. It is not meant to be used to shut people up, for punishing people, for controlling people.”

Loghman sees the way pepper spray is being used now and feels that “the culture of law enforcement needs to change.”

“We need retraining of police officer in regards to the weapons that they have and most of all, they need to come from a different place,” he says. “They need to come from a place of compassion.”