ATLANTA — There is a national debate about the use of force by police officers after several police-involved shootings. Some feel police officers are too quick to use their weapons. Channel 2 Action News got a first-hand look at situations where officers refrained from using deadly force.
When police officers arrive at a call for help they know the situation can be unpredictable.
One case Atlanta police showed Channel 2's Nerfertiti Jaquez, an officer used his Taser on a man. Police say the fugitive taskforce was looking for a suspect and when they moved in on the guy, he became violent.
"The officer believed he was going for a weapon. The officer immediately deployed his Taser and the subject and the gun fell to the ground," Sgt. Warren Pickard said.
Officers have to make life or death decisions like these every single day.
"Those split second decisions that we make. We have to get it right every time," Pickard said.
While that is a difficult task, with great training and good judgment, cops can deescalate situations during dangerous scenarios, Pickard said.
"We come in. We answer the 911 calls. We got out on the streets, patrol and put the bad guys in jail," Pickard said.
To gain a better understanding on how officers handle dangerous situations, Jaquez went to the Atlanta Police Department's Academy.
Jaquez went through three different virtual simulations.
In one scenario, she pulled the trigger too quickly and killed a man accused of beating his girlfriend with a bat.
"I think a lot of people think that a police officers responds to a scene and we have some kind of ability to slow everything down. When that's not the reality of the situation," Pickard said.
Pickard made it clear that no officer pulled the trigger thinking there aren't consequences.
"Whenever and officer puts a weapon in his hand whatever happens on the other side of that weapon can change that officer's entire future," Pickard said.
Cox Media Group
