Security Receiving Additional Equipment

Providing security with law enforcement authority is an important component of the Association.  In support of this, the security department will be getting some much-needed equipment in 2022.  More specifically, the security department will be purchasing ballistic vests and Tasers next year for each officer who possesses law enforcement authority.

As you may be aware, Palmetto Dunes security officers who perform patrol duties have the same law enforcement authority as that of a South Carolina deputy/police officer while employed and working in Palmetto Dunes. They respond 24/7 to law enforcement calls for service in Palmetto Dunes and Leamington; sometimes with, and other times on behalf of, the Beaufort County Sheriffs Office.

For perspective, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, 48 officers were feloniously killed nationwide in 2019 and nearly half of those occurred in the South. Forty-four (44) of the officers were killed with firearms. Some of these incidents occurred during traffic stops, unprovoked attacks, responding to crimes in progress, attempting to restrain a subject during an arrest, assisting other law enforcement officers, and responding to disorder or distrubances, just to name a few. During the same year, approximately 56,000 officers were assaulted and approximately 17,000 of these officers sustained injuries.

Ballistic vests have been proven to stop the penetration of certain ammunition and have saved lives. Additionally, they are regularly issued to police officers as standard operating equipment. As such, our team of patrol officers will be provided ballistic vests to help keep them safe in the event of a firearms related incident.

Additionally, Tasers are an effective less-than-lethal weapon that are regularly issued to police officers and help them gain control of resistive and combative persons, generally reducing the chances of injury to the officer and the suspect. In today’s complex society, officers are frequently confronted with situations where, in order to protect the public safety, control must be exercised to affect arrests, overcome physical resistance, and neutralize assaults. While our officers always strive to achieve compliance through persuasion, there are times that situations escalate, and more force is required. Control may be achieved through advice, persuasion, and warnings, or by the use of physical force. Obviously, there are varying degrees of force that may be justified, depending upon the dynamics of the situation.

The Taser is a less-than-lethal weapon that can be deployed prior to resorting to the use of deadly force and will also be provided to our officers in 2022. Importantly, just like our other issued weapons and equipment, all officers must satisfactorily complete a training/certification course prior to being issued or allowed to carry the device.

For more information, please contact Chief Jim Griner at jgriner@pdpoa.org.