Tasers training started, Body Cams here for Turks and Caicos Police

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – Tuesday, May 1, 2018 – A partnership between Miami Beach and Turks and Caicos is delivering on a training program for Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Officers, who are today learning how to use electroshock weapons, better known as ‘tasers’.

“We are about to see the introduction of new technology to the force, including Taser; Taser is a brand name which is now well known across the UK, Europe and the Caribbean and Taser is a less lethal option to be used and deployed by officers from our Tactical Team, our armed response officers and some of our patrol officers,” said Commissioner James Smith in a press conference today, May 1.

Training was started this morning explained Commissioner Smith, adding that local trainers were leading the session at the Chalk Sound station and supervised by an instructor from Miami Beach Police; described as partner in the readiness effort.

“The Tasers go to trained officers who are currently trained in the use of firearms; so tactical unit… we are looking to deploy, following training, a number of patrolling uniformed officers.  Very often Tasers are used in incidents where firearms are not the appropriate methodology and officers can walk into these scenes without any prior notice.”

TCI Tactical Police to be Taser trained. File photo

During a media meeting, Police Commissioner James Smith said that patrol and tactical unit offers will be armed with the ‘shocking’ devices, which he noted are safer and effective for subduing aggressive suspects and offenders.

Also in country already are the previously heralded body cams which are also meant to bolster evidentiary information for criminal proceedings, while simultaneously working as a monitor of police behavior.

“Every patrolling officer, will have a body cam,” said Commissioner Smith, “Officers will be receiving training online.  We have docking stations being installed at the police stations so that very soon you will see patrolling officers with body cameras that will record their every action and action of those individual s in the front of them that will allow us to present the best evidence in court and of course allow us to check on the behavior of our officers as they go about their daily business.”

Legislative changes were made to prepare for the introduction of the ‘body cams’ which have been cited to have a string of pluses attached to their introduction including decreasing bad behavior by police officers and improving evidence collection for accident and domestic violence scenes.

“What we need make sure that we manage them properly, the policy is there and officers understand exactly how that will change the rule…”

Body Cams as a standard part of the uniforms of patrol officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police will not begin immediately; but it was said the activation of the cameras is soon to start.