HORRY CO, SC (WBTW) – The Horry County Police Department has updated its “Use of Force” policy and issued refresher training on de-escalation.
The update, issued on Monday, bans the use of all restraint moves that restrict the flow of blood or oxygen to the brain unless in a situation where deadly force is justified.
Added to the “Response to Active Resistance section of the policy is this sentence: “Absent justified deadly force situations, the HCPD prohibits the application of all physical restraint maneuvers that restrict the flow of blood or oxygen to the brain.”
To read the full policy, click here.
The department also has issued a refresher course to train police on de-escalation. The training was last repeated in 2019. That training is a video the officers watch and a follow-up test. It encourages officers to learn, utilize and perfect skills related to active listening, communication strategies, and body language, according to Mikayla Moskov, public information officer with the Horry County Government.
