Shootings by off-duty NYC correction officers raise questions about training, deadly force
Two shootings by different off-duty New York City correction officers this summer happened just weeks apart. One officer who allegedly shot and killed a teenager holding a toy gun now faces criminal charges, while the other – who fired his weapon at a Fourth of July celebration – has been hailed by public officials as a hero.
Many details remain unknown. The correction officers were not wearing body cameras and police have released limited information. But both incidents raise questions about how correction officers, who are allowed to carry guns off duty, are trained on when to use deadly force outside of jail settings, and how those calculations are changing as a result of a recent Supreme Court decision over the city’s gun laws that increases the likelihood of encountering armed civilians.
Not all correction officers carry guns on the job, but whether they do or not, all are permitted to carry guns on the street – a rare entitlement in New York. Unlike the NYPD, the Department of Correction does not post a policy guide on its website, making it difficult to know what its officers are taught. And while police training has come under increased scrutiny in recent years, jail officer training has received much less attention. In response to a list of questions about its protocols, the DOC told Gothamist that its training goes “above and beyond state law” requirements and includes yearly refresher courses.
Read the rest of the story on Gothamist.
