Savannah police use of force training examined after third officer-involved shooting this year

GARDEN CITY, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah Police Department has had three officer-involved shootings this year, prompting a closer look at how officers train for life-or-death situations in the Coastal Empire.

The training starts in the classroom, but according to one manager who trains officers, it’s tough to prepare them to make the best available decision in split-second scenarios.

“It’s a difficult decision to make, and a difficult decision to make quickly,” said Ken Harmon, manager of the Georgia Public Safety Training Center Savannah Academy.

The three shootings this year mark a rise from one in 2024 and 2025. The latest incident Monday involved an officer who walked up to a Parker’s convenience store, saw a robbery taking place and fired after having a gun pointed in his direction.

“The officer looked there and he saw a gun, he saw a gun and he acted. Your training pops in,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.

Training focuses on vigilance

Local police officers receive their training at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Garden City. Harmon said the academy works with officers to give them an increased level of vigilance.

The training includes various courses designed to keep citizens and officers alive in life-or-death moments. One tool is a simulator that places officers in everyday situations.

“And instantly it leads them into a situation where they have to make a decision to use deadly force and they have to respond, react to those,” Harmon said.

Officers receive debriefs after these simulations and are required to explain why they did or did not use deadly force.

Johnson touched on the training at his Tuesday morning press conference, drawing from his own time in law enforcement. He said Monday’s situation could have unfolded differently.

“Because on the other end of it, the guy could have shot at the officer at that point, catching him off guard. I have responded to a scene where an officer had gotten killed. And will never forget those moments,” Johnson said.

The Savannah Police Department was unable to comment on use of force with an ongoing investigation for Monday’s shooting. Use of force parameters on the department’s website state officers must give a warning, exhaust all other methods and use the minimum amount of force required to make an arrest.