News

October 15, 2009

Trainer: Guns are last resort

FORTY FORT – State police Lt. James E. Degnan told citizens his department perceives its firearms as tools rather than weapons.

Degnan, a patrol commander at the Dunmore barracks, spoke to about 20 residents at Thursday’s Pennsylvania State Police Citizens’ Police Academy at the state police training facility in Forty Fort.

The evening’s topics: Firearms and the police organization’s Special Emergency Response Team (SERT).

“These are nothing but tools,” said Degnan, referring to various guns laid out behind him on a desk. “These are some of the things that we use to get our job done.”

Degnan, who has been a firearms instructor for 21 years, said cadets learn from the outset that firearms are a tool of last resort.

For the complete story, see Friday's Times Leader.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews