Jake,
A police officer is expected to intervene in situations that may not call for deadly force. A private citizen may have the option of retreating. Most often the "special tools" as you call them are used to force compliance during an arrest. They aren't really often used in a reactive mode to an attack. Often the officer "causes" the confrontation by his presence or some action he has to take in the course of his duties.
Perhaps all states should be as enlightened as Kentucky, which issues a "Concealed Deadly Weapons" permit that covers everything from handguns to knives. I have no problem with anyone carrying or possessing "things". After all it's what they do with them that makes things dangerous. And since it's impossible to stop people from doing harm by banning the carry or possesion of "things" I think the laws are pretty stupid. But unfortunately, our political servants seem to think they are effective or at least that the majority of the voting public is stupid enough to believe they are effective.
Personally, it's your choice. If you think you need a less lethal option, go for it. I'd recommend OC. Get the stuff with the highest Scoville Heat Unit Rating you can find. The advantage of being a private citizen and using OC is that you can spray and run
peace officers then have to handle the suspect to cuff, pat down and transport. You invariably get a good second hand contamination yourself.
The only thing discussed here that I have a problem with a private citizen carrying is cuffs. I still can see no need to restrain a subject after a defensive encounter. As I said in an earlier post, you open yourself to all sorts of criminal and civil liability with cuffs. You'd be in
BIG trouble in most places I know of if you handcuffed someone while you repossesed his vehicle.
Jeff