The Kennedale Police Department has equipped officers with a new style pepper gun. The officers have a choice between carrying a Taser or the new potent pepper gun this year.{{more:[read more]}}
Chief Tommy Williams, saying that he has not personally seen the pepper gun in use, he has seen video demonstration and that it is very effective. The difference in this over the traditional pepper spray is that the pepper gun does not use an aerosol to spray but uses a projectile to target the individual.
bring a grown man to the ground in seconds ?
This allows for the pepper to hit the target full force and not be sprayed out into the air where it can affect everyone there including the officer. The pepper gun also uses a much more potent formula and can bring a grown man to the ground in seconds.
Ironically, even without using the new weapon, the use of force by police officers was significantly down last year. Kennedale police officers employed force only 4 times in 2015, according to a report given to the Kennedale City Council at the February meeting by Chief {{t2: Williams:
}}. In 2014, force was used 16 times.
use of force only 4 times last year ?
?While this is a significant decline, I would anticipate that this number will climb for 2016,? Williams reported. He added, ?A normal year for our employees should average around the 15-25 incident number. The majority of our physical contacts with citizens continue to be empty hand control tactics and the display of weapons.?
Ongoing training for all KPD officers includes takedown holds (file photo)
Williams cited the ongoing training that is required in the department including defensive tactics including ground fighting techniques and take-down holds, active shooter training, recertification for Tasers and firearms training every two months. The firearms training includes more decision making scenarios to help in making decisions about when and when not to fire a weapon.
Kennedale was directly involved in only one vehicle pursuit in 2015.
significant crimes dropped 10% ?
Significant crimes were down this past year, dropping from 260 to 232. Much of the drop was attributed to fewer thefts reported in 2015. Williams said that of 106 crimes that involved theft, ?57 were preventable while 10 others were result of poor security.? Most were because valuables were left in unlocked cars overnight parked outside the garage. Items stolen included wallets/ purses, electronics and firearms.
Kennedale Police Department had 27,619 calls for service in 2015
Overall for the Kennedale police officers, there were 27,619 calls for service. These service calls included dispatch, traffic stops, building and property checks and citizen contacts.
Of the 54 assaults recorded last, 43 were ?simple assault? that did not include bodily injuring i.e. threats or offensive contact (touching someone without permission and in a perceived threatening or provocative manner.
4,206 traffic stops ?
KPD officers responded to
- 187 domestic dispute calls,
- 224 accident calls,
- 698 alarm calls
- and handled 28 DWI arrest.
Officers also issued 2,698 citations related to 4,206 traffic stops.
The average response time was 3 minutes 28 seconds last year.
The full copy of this report is available at KPD
Activity Report 2015
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