In June 2020, Deputy Rissanen arrested Richard Elijah Gerald outside a Harris Teeter grocery store in Mount Pleasant, alleging Gerald resisted arrest and fled from officers. Gerald, an employee of the store, was detained despite having just finished his shift. The charges were dismissed a week later, and then-Sheriff Al Cannon apologized, stating the situation should never have occurred. An internal investigation found Rissanen violated several department policies, resulting in a one-year probation and a warning that his job was in jeopardy due to his decision-making. Rissanen was also involved in a 2018 incident where he allegedly displayed improper performance during an emergency shift. He remains employed by the Sheriff’s Office as of May 2022.
[Return to blog post](https://watchaudits.com/deputy-austin-rissanen-charleston-county-sheriffs-office/)
.
