Harris County officer related shootings lowest in 25 years

02:15 PM CST on Monday, December 27, 2004

By Reggie Aqui / 11 News

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A new report on the number of officer-related shootings holds good news for both police and civilians.

The number of shootings is down, to its lowest level in 25 years.

This includes Harris County sheriffs departments and police departments.

Law enforcement agencies say these statistics are no accident. They are the result of strict policies and technology enabling officers to make safer choices.

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The use of taser guns has contributed to the reduction of the number of officer-related shootings in Harris County.

This year there were 22 officer-involved shootings. That is a 25- year low.

In 2003, then more civilians were hit by an officer's bullet.

In the 1980s, an average of 50 people a year were a part of officer-involved shootings. The numbers starting going down in the next decade.

Why the lower numbers all of a sudden? Some say taser guns have helped. The Houston Police Department recently passed out the less-than-lethal device to every one of its officers.

What effect they'll have in the city has yet to be determined. Other law enforcement agencies, including the Sheriff's Department and the Pasadena Police Department, have been using them longer.

Some agencies have also adopted policies that prohibit shooting at vehicles.

The Harris County Sheriff's Department went from six shootings earlier this year, to just one as a result of that policy.

HPD had only ten officer-involved shooting this year, but the HPD Chief Harold Hurtt says that one is too many, and he would like to see that number go down.