In the world of practical jokes, few are funnier than those involving tear gas. In fact, nothing could elicit bigger yuks without the use of live ammunition. As it happens, Officer David McCranie had both. Pity he settled on using just the tear gas.

The Tallahassee cop decided to play a little gag to break the monotony of a training mission. During the training, McCranie set off a gas canister and tossed it toward one of his fellow officers. Good times. Shame about the breeze.

Clouds of tear gas wafted through a row of houses and, more specifically, into the eyes of children playing outside and whomever else had the bad luck of being in its path. By the time the laughter died down, 11 people needed treatment for tear gas inhalation.

In addition to being suspended without pay for three weeks, McCranie was thrown off the department's Tactical Apprehension and Containment team.

» Scott Saxon