By Betsy Finklea
Latta, Dillon County, and Dillon City law enforcement officers who needed to be certified to carry a taser were part of a joint training held at the Latta Police Department last week.
Officers have to recertify every year, but are only shot one time with the taser, according to Sgt. Derrick Cartwright of the Latta Police Department.
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The training consisted of a classroom portion, demonstration of effective use, and light exposure.
Cartwright said, “The officers attended the training to become certified to carry and use the TASER X26(R). The officers had to attend classroom training, take a written test and experience first hand a live exposure consisting of a 5 second cycle from the TASER X26(R). Each of the officers had to demonstrate that they could effectively deploy the device from their holster in a timely manner while encountering a stressful situation.”
Cartwright said the training helps lower officer and suspect injuries and helps lower the liability on the departments for which they work.
The training was led by instructors Sgt. Derrick Cartwright of the Latta Police Department; Deputy Kevin Daniels, Officer Zane Bryant, and Deputy Kenny Miller from the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office; and David Lane from the City of Dillon Police Department.
“It’s good when we all come together and train” said Cartwright, “because we are one team when we work together on the street.”
Chief Crystal Moore said, “I would like to thank the Latta Fire Department for the use of their facility to host the training, all of the departments and officers for their participation in the training. It allowed the officers to meet, socialize and become familiar with each other. The officers work with each other on a daily basis, both day and night, and it is always good when all the departments can come together to train as one. The officers become familiar with each others skills and know what the other is going to do in the field, when situations arise.”