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Corrections officers with the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office recently participated in training for recertification in the use of the PepperBall system, a non-lethal technology that is used by many Corrections Departments nationwide to control inmates in a riot or other disturbance.

Captain Anthony Giovingo and Cpl. Brian Bartholomew led the training for Corrections supervisors and assistant supervisors and programs and transportation officers to refresh and improve skills with the goal of preventing injuries to officers and inmates.

The PepperBall launcher provides Corrections officers with a safe and effective form of non-lethal compliance.

The PepperBall system, along with pepper spray, tasers and bean bag shot guns, eliminates the use of deadly force when faced with certain situations that may occur in the jail, Sheriff Mike Tregre said.

Using non-lethal weapons act as a deterrence from violent behavior, he said. Non-lethal weapons provide officers with a first line of defense to gain swift control of hostile situations, preventing fatal injuries to both inmates and officers.

The PepperBall recertification is among continuing education for officers. Continuous training is key to help law enforcement officers do their jobs more efficiently and effectively, Sheriff Tregre said.