Kim Potter trial: Sergeant testifies that he never heard of an officer accidentally drawing their gun instead of a Taser

• Sgt. Michael Peterson leads training on the use of Tasers at the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
• He testified Tuesday in the trial of former police officer Kim Potter.

The police officer in charge of training Brooklyn Center cops on how to use their Tasers said Tuesday that he has never heard of one accidentally grabbing their handgun instead.

Sgt. Mike Peterson is a 16-year-veteran of the Brooklyn Center Police Department, where he has been a use-of-force instructor since 2007. He was called to the stand by prosecutors in the trial of Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center police officer who killed Daunte Wright.

Potter has claimed she accidentally shot Wright during a traffic stop in April 2021, saying she mistook her firearm for the less-than-lethal Taser. She was charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter and pleaded not guilty to both charges.

On Tuesday, Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank, who is leading the manslaughter case against Potter, asked Peterson if he had ever heard of such a thing.

"In all the years that you've been working at the Brooklyn Center Police Department," Frank asked, "have you been aware of any other officers who have drawn their handgun when they meant to draw their Taser?"

Peterson was unequivocal. "I don't," he said.

He was less certain if anyone had made such a mistake during a training session, saying he has conducted so many over the years it would be hard to say for sure.

Earlier in the day, Peterson said officers were also taught not to use a Taser on someone operating a vehicle. Potter shot Wright while he was in the driver's seat of his car, which crashed into another moments later.

Peterson's testimony came after a Brooklyn Center police officer spoke about the department's policy on the use of Tasers.

Garrett Flesland, a police commander, explained that officers are taught to keep their Taser on their non-dominant side. He testified that he prefers to keep his in the "cross draw" position, which requires reaching across one's body with the dominant hand to grab the Taser, the handle of which is facing the front.

Body-camera footage shows Potter had her Taser in the "reaction draw" position, where the handle is towards the rear.

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