BUNNELL, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff's Office is training deputies on the use of recently acquired Remington 870 shotguns to be used as less lethal force.
The shotguns are fully operational, but the 12-gauge "super sock" round is designed to distract and incapacitate a subject, but not inflict penetrating trauma.
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The round is a fiber-reinforced flexible sock filled with pellets. Sheriff's deputies received additional specialized training and their patrol cars will be outfitted with the shotguns.
"It is important to me to have our deputies trained in every aspect of their jobs, especially the use of less lethal force which could result in a life being saved," said Sheriff James Manfre. "Until now, only our SWAT personnel have been provided with this type of weapon, but now our road patrol deputies will have them."
"The less lethal weapon will reduce harm to the individual including bystanders and will result in a reduction of injury to law enforcement officers," said SWAT Cmdr. Michael Fink. "Just last month, the SWAT team apprehended an armed suicidal subject using a similar type of less lethal force."