Sean C. Morgan
Sweet Home Detective Jeff Lynn grimaced as Sgt. Jason Van Eck shot him in the back with 50,000 volts of electricity.
He slumped some but was supported by two other officers before hitting the floor. Sgt. Van Eck switched off his taser, and Detective Lynn easily regained his feet.
Other police officers took turns being shot with the taser to find out first-hand what it does Friday during special training by Officer Jason Ogden and Sgt. Van Eck in the use of the weapon.
The weapon shocks targets for five seconds at a time normally.
During that time, the victim is completely immobilized, incapable of movement or resistance.
“You can’t do anything,” Officer John Trahan said, but as quick as it incapacitates its victim, the effect is gone when the taser is shut off.
The electrical charge transmitted by the taser jams the human body’s own electrical systems, although it doesn’t stop involuntary systems, such as the heart.
Police Chief Bob Burford expected that the department’s three taser units would be deployed in the field during the first of March, after making sure each vehicle has all of the proper support equipment.
The tasers cost about $800 each. Single-use cartridges cost $15 to $20.
The system is designed to incapacitate while minimizing fatalities and permanent injury, Chief Burford said.
“This is our first less-than-lethal weapon,” Chief Burford said. “We’ve probably had a half dozen incidents in the last six months where we’ve had to wait for less-than-lethal” force or use other options.
Christmas night, police had a 1.5-hour standoff with an armed woman. She came outside of the house with a handgun, within 15 to 20 feet of police officers.
Chief Burford was negotiating with her. He was able to get her to go inside, put the weapon down and come back out. Had she raised her weapon, she could have been killed, but with a taser, she could have been incapacitated long enough to disarm and detain her.
It is useful in other situations where a suspect may be armed with some sort of weapon and talking to officers. In other cases, police can use a taser to stop someone who is stabbing himself with a knife.
Unlike pepper spray, the taser stops suspects effectively, Chief Burford said. People can fight through the effects of pepper spray, and the spray can also affect the officers.
While a suspect is under the effects of the taser, police officers can touch and take him into custody without receiving the shock. The suspect is completely helpless.
Pepper spray has detrimental effects that last up to 45 minutes, Chief Burford said. The effects of the taser are over when the device is shut off.
Sweet Home police initially purchased three units, Chief Burford said, and the department will probably purchase three more units for supervisors.