More than two years ago, the Boston police fired a pepper spray projectile into the eye of a college student during the celebration of a Red Sox victory. The student died. The incident convinced some police agencies to stop using the pellet gun as a crowd control device. Boston suspended its use of the weapon, and a 2005 commission report faulted the city for buying the pellet guns and for failing to train officers to use them safely.

This week, Boston finally found a responsible use for the pellet guns.

The department's 13 pellet guns, bought before the 2004 Democratic National Convention, will be melted down and recycled into sewer caps.