Timoney justified the use of tear gas by Bahraini police as a nonlethal method of crowd dispersal by saying that its use is justified in the face of a rise in violent attacks on policemen: "Police have been using tear gas to create distance between them and gangs of rioters that have been on a very steady basis, day after day, assaulting police officers with Molotov cocktails and also with bricks, nails and other things." He pointed out that he has "seen police using great restraint after tremendous provocation night after night." While admitting that tear gas had its problems, he claimed that it is "a more desirable weapon than, for example, using live rounds to defend yourself." He emphasized that tear gas is not lethal and says that the authorities "have thousands of police officers out there on a daily basis. They are smelling and touching that gas themselves. We've had nobody come in with poison or respiratory problems." A senior member of Bahrain's parliament praised Timoney for "changing a lot in the culture of the Ministry of Interior" and contributing to Bahrain's security reform.