Richmond County deputies training on using nonlethal force

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Law enforcement officers in Richmond County are training in how to use nonlethal force to protect both you and them.

“Nobody wants to come to work and have to take a life or anything along those lines,” said Jake Miller, Pepperball Regional Director of Sales.

Tools like these are meant to prevent a situation like that, it gives officers a chance not to have to use their firearms in the line of duty.

“On the flip side of that. That gives the citizens in the community of somebody that’s just having the worst day of their lives the ability not to have that the law enforcement has other options to help them gain compliance and overall mental health,” he said.

Bringing multiple agencies to the training, some even taking part in it.

“All of a sudden, a loud noise and a bunch of dust,” said Noah Johnson, RCSO Crime Suppression Team.

Two brothers, testing it out before they could use it themselves.

“I can see from like a suspect like real life, it would definitely catch me on the card because they would at that point be already hyperventilating or adrenaline rush, breathing heavy, yeah. We were calm, and it’s still pretty bad,” said Nic Johnson, RCSO Crime Suppression Team.

Making an impact long enough, but safely for both sides.

“More and more of our encounters that we have today, we see where we are encountering more people that have mental health problems and different issues and they really don’t fully understand what they’re doing, because they don’t have the mental capacity to process what’s actually going on,” said Sheriff Eugene Brantley, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.

The first step in the right direction.

“This just gives them an extra tool on their belt to make sure we’re just saving as many lives and preventing as many injuries as possible,” Brantley said.

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