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Taser vs. gun: How Georgia officers are trained to prevent deadly mistakes in critical situations

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Published  December 20, 2021 7:48pm EST
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

Taser vs. gun: How Georgia officers should know critical moments

A veteran Georgia law enforcement officer talks about the difference between a Taser and a service weapon, and how each officer should be able to tell which is which in high-pressure, critical moments.

ATLANTA - Georgia's law enforcement supervisors say there are safeguards in place that should prevent the type of accidental shooting that has made national headlines.

KIM POTTER TRIAL: JURY DELIBERATIONS END FOR NIGHT, WILL RESUME TUESDAY

A Minneapolis officer, Kim Potter, admits she thought she was holding a Taser when she shot and killed a motorist. Potter, 49, is charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Daunte Wright, a Black man, during a traffic stop on April 11. The defense claims the shooting was an accident, that Potter, who is white, mistakenly grabbed her gun instead of her Taser when she fatally shot Wright. But, prosecutors say Potter was reckless and negligent and should go to prison.

The case went into the hands of a jury on Monday after both sides delivered their closing arguments, with the state getting the last word with their rebuttal. 

Kim Potter trial in hands of jury

A Minnesota jury is now deliberating the fate of Kim Potter who is accused of shooting and killing a man with what she says she thought was a Taser, but ended up being her service weapon.

It is unclear what distracted that officer, but authorities there are attempting to hold her criminally culpable for that mistake. 

Law enforcement veterans in Georgia say all weapons customarily are attached to a belt strapped around an officer's waist. It is called a "duty belt" New officers undergo training on the different purposes when a Taser is appropriate for use. In addition to that, the Taser should never be on the same side of the hip as the more lethal "service weapon" 

"The gun should be on the strong hand," said Charles Rambo, a retired sheriff's lieutenant. "The Taser is placed on the opposite side. That allows the officer to cross draw to hold the Taser." 

And it is common for the two weapons to look different. Tasers typically have color markings to differentiate it from the gun. It oftentimes will also have laser aim at the end. 

After five-plus hours of deliberations on Monday without a decision in the trial, jurors are being sequestered at a hotel for the length of deliberations. They are set to return Tuesday morning to continue in earnest. 

Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu says she will not make jurors deliberate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. They will return after the holiday if they have not reached a verdict by then. 

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