Boston PD to Increase Weapons Training

In anticipation of recommendations from an independent panel, Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen M. O’Toole has announced plans for more training and a database to track Boston PD officers’ weapons training.

After 21-year-old college student Victoria Snelgrove died when a pepper ball projectile fired by police working crowd control hit her eye, two investigations were launched to find out what happened.

Investigation showed that many officers armed with pepper ball weapons that night to control a crowd of Boston Red Sox fans that amassed after the team’s World Series win were not certified to use them. The officer who police say fired the shot that hit Snelgrove was certified.

O’Toole told the Boston Globe she recognizes Boston PD needs to improve its training policies to make sure all officers are kept up to date.