Thread by @nytimes

Tasers look and feel different from pistols, and most police forces have protocols to prevent a mix-up.

So how could the officer who shot Daunte Wright in Minnesota on Sunday grab her gun instead of her Taser, as the police chief said? nyti.ms/3uLVpEj

There are many differences between Tasers and standard police handguns:
— Tasers are often brightly colored.
— Standard police pistols weigh significantly more than a typical Taser.
— Unlike Tasers, Glocks usually have a trigger safety that can be felt when touching the trigger.

Most police forces — including Brooklyn Center’s — have standard precautions and protocols in place to prevent a mix-up that can be deadly.

“If you train enough, you should be able to tell,” said Scott A. DeFoe, a retired sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Brooklyn Center police are meant to wear their guns on their dominant side and Tasers on the opposite, to reduce the risk that they will confuse the weapons.

Body-camera video of the shooting does not show how the officer carried her weapons, but it does offer more detail.

There have been other instances of a police officer intending to deploy a Taser and discharging a firearm instead, though such errors are not common.

In most cases, there has been little or no jail time for officers involved.

Read more here. nyti.ms/3uLVpEj