BALTIMORE (WBFF) - As calls for police reform  occur across the country,  Fox45 investigates off-duty officers who are armed and under the influence.

While George Floyd's  case has highlighted the use of chokeholds, the Freddie Gray case brought attention to the Baltimore Police Department's seat belting policy when it comes to securing individuals in the back of police vans.

All too often officers avoid being held accountable because of an outdated policy or training model. The two are areas of policing that come up after there's been a deadly encounter with police.

When Officer Gahiji Tshamba, was arrested for shooting Tryone Brown twelve times in June 2010, the Baltimore Police Department had a policy that required all off-duty City officers to be armed when in the City.

On the night of June 5th, Tshamba and Brown crossed paths waiting outside a Mt. Vernon nightclub, Tshamba was armed  with his department issued firearm.

Supervisors later testified, Tshamba appeared intoxicated because he was slurring his words and he was "glassy-eyed".

In 2010 one retired officer told us, "First of all if I walked outside without my gun, I'm in jeopardy because everybody in the City has one but me. If I'm going to add alcohol to that formula that's not pretty good judgement."

In court the officer who wrote up the training standards was asked:

" What are the policies regarding whether an off duty officer is permitted to be armed and consuming alcohol?"

Charles key replied, " The policy is that they will be armed if they are in the City of Baltimore, unless and until it's unreasonable for them having consumed too much alcohol, to have a weapon."

Key is then asked, "And, so you did provide training regarding how much the officers could drink and be armed when they're off duty?"

"Yes sir," Key replies.

He then provided the formula officers were trained to apply.

Since Tyrone Brown's  case, the BPD has tweaked its firearms regulations policy .

Under current policy, off-duty members are authorized to carry an issued or approved handgun... But members are not required to be armed when off-duty.

As for the consumption of alcohol, off-duty officers can still drink. while being armed with their department issued firearm . 

The caveat is officers should not be  "under the influence of an impairing substance or alcohol"

In the state of Maryland, a person with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or above is considered "under the influence."

Tshamba refused to take a breathalyzer. 

This was the officers third police involved shooting.