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Montgomery County Reviews Stun Gun Use by Police After Four Deaths

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ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) - After the deaths of four people who were shocked by officers' stun guns, a Maryland county leader is ordering police to review stun gun use and investigate the incidents.
 
The Baltimore Sun reports Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett said Wednesday he wants to make sure the incidents and subsequent investigations were handled properly. His announcement comes after the newspaper investigated stun gun use in Maryland and found that officers frequently failed to follow best practices.
 
The newspaper reports four of Maryland's 11 deaths in stun-gun-related police encounters since 2009 involved Montgomery County officers. In three of those, the newspaper found officers activated the devices for longer than the recommended 15 seconds and as long as 108 seconds. A county police spokesman declined to comment, but previously defended officers' actions.
 

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.