Chuck Seaver, South Lake Tablet
The Clermont Police Department has been an accredited law enforcement agency through the State of Florida Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA) since 2004. With that accreditation, the department takes great strides in ensuring that its officers receive the latest training in technology, de-escalation techniques, tactics, use of force, and strategies, just to name a few.
The department maintains a full-time training unit composed of in-house trainers who are, at a minimum, certified in firearms training, defensive tactics, law enforcement vehicle operations, search techniques, and legal updates. The training division is also responsible for the assignment and monitoring of new officers and their trainers in the field training portion of new-hire training.
With that training, the department also takes extra steps in providing the necessary technology required to not only keep officers safer but also provide additional options for those officers to de-escalate violent people in hostile situations with an effort to minimize injuries to both the officer and the suspect. One such option is the recently introduced Axon Taser 10 energy weapon. The taser has a 10-cartridge capability and also allows for a longer range, up to 45 feet, of capability when deployed. The increase from the previous 25-foot capacity provides more time and space for decision-making by the officer and a reduction in risk for everyone involved.
Along with the 10-cartridge capability, compared to the previous 4-cartridge ability, the new taser also has a differing sound tone when a good connection is made, alerting the officer that he or she is on target. Individually targeted probes dramatically improve accuracy and effectiveness, expanding the situations in which the taser can be utilized.
Representatives from Axon proclaim that the “Axon Taser 10 ushers in the potential for a less-lethal future, and we are confident it will be a key factor in helping to cut gun-related deaths between police and the public by 50% in the next 10 years.” Research has shown that ineffective taser deployments can result in an escalation to lethal force and that over 80% of officer-involved shootings occur within a 40-foot range.
In addition to the new tasers, the Clermont Police Department has included the Axon Virtual Reality training package and Axon Network technology. The innovative training allows the entire department to be trained in-house, therefore eliminating travel costs, overtime and staff shortages that are often accrued when officers are required to travel to outside training sites.
Clermont Police Sergeant Ethan Bell and Lt. Daniel Moser provided a demonstration of the virtual training. Officers are equipped with virtual reality headsets that provide random scenarios for use of force and de-escalation situations. The scenarios can be monitored by nearby training staff through a standard tablet or computer screen. “The training allows officers to gain confidence and accuracy, while enhancing the officer’s proficiency. The training also helps officers to improve use-of-force decision-making while also practicing de-escalation techniques,” says Sgt. Bell.
The Axon Network function connects the Taser 10 to body-worn cameras and in-car cameras, as well as a real-time operations platform. The additional capabilities ensure that agencies never miss a critical moment on their cameras and increase visibility that supports greater transparency and accountability. The program also includes a real-time records productivity software suite that helps officers save time on compiling reports.
Another critical component of the software is the “smart holster” technology. The Taser 10 has an onboard sensor that pairs with certified holsters, allowing the Taser 10 to detect when it has been removed from a holster. Taser 10 logs the holster event and emits a wireless signal to alert local body cameras in the vicinity to begin recording. The department also requires that each officer relinquish body camera and taser memory cartridges to a secure portal in the police station that locks when the cartridge is inserted. The data is retained for a variety of reasons, including court purposes and citizen complaint investigations.
The Clermont Police Department provides extensive training opportunities for its officers, including a fully equipped, in-house workout gym that allows officers to stay fit and capable of handling the strenuous job requirements that they face on a daily basis.
Visit www.ClermontFl.gov/262/police-department for a full listing of career opportunities, accreditation information, and community activities.
(Some of the photos courtesy of Axon Inc.)
