August 12, 2016
Independent Report on County Police Officer TASER Use
County Executive Isiah Leggett and Police Chief Tom Manger were presented with the findings of a report on the County police officer usage of Electronic Control Devices, commonly known as the TASER. Leggett commissioned the report from an independent consultant, Dr. Geoffrey P. Alpert from the University of South Carolina’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
The report noted room for improvement in the area incorporating decision-making skills by way of scenario-based training, but praised the overall training and performance of officers.
Dr. Alpert recently completed a major study on police officer decision making funded by the National Institute of Justice, and an investigation of racial profiling for the Miami-Dade County, Florida Police Department. He is working on a use-of-force study that focuses on less-lethal technology and the effectiveness of their applications.
