The councilwoman is not a proponent of tasers becuase she fears thay would be used too frequently? The whole camera thing attached to it makes it sound like something that could be reviewed should that occur.

ROTFLMAO! Ok, from what I understand, if the police department wants to use tasers they must be willing to be 'tasered' as part of their training. Notice how far we have come; nobody would have ever even *thought* of asking a cop to take a beating with a billy club. LMAO.

Tasers - in our small community. I just googled taser related deaths. Is the town willing to take the risk of ending someone's life who is not a great risk to police (un-armed as in many of the taser related deaths)? Also wouldn't the police dept need high insurance if a taser related death occurs? I worry about possible abuse of a taser. So you tested the tasers on yourselves? But not multiple times like in a real life situation where people have actually died.
Think long and hard about this one.

I'd like to know what situations Chief Hazzard has encountered since he has been here that would have warranted him to use a taser...If the answer is "none" than I think arming him with a taser make him dangerous....Hopefully he doesn't want one just to use it.....I read the police blotters, just like everyone else here and I can't recall I time where the police would have needed a taser to make the arrest....

Taser related deaths? Come on now...do complete research - don't stop when you see what you want to see... you have no idea what police officers go through - I think any protection they can get is worth it!

Of course nobody has ever asked a cop to take a beating with a club - I am LMAO at you! Police are here to protect the community and I think your constant put-downs to our officers are extremely insulting to me and my family and just down right stupid! So, to you I am ROTFLMAO at your stupidity and ignorance!

I suggest anyone who is in favor of having our police carry tasers, to go to the police station and offer to have a cop demostrate it on you....your opinion may change after that. Anyone up for it???

Mr. McKeever I am glad you are an expert on what the police need.

The police would use the equipment when needed - I suppose you think they shouldn't carry pepper spray, guns, clubs or hand cuffs either.

DP, I'll take that as a "NO", you will not offer yourself up to see what it feels like to be tasered....Hey why not have the town buy riot gear, full body armor, tanks, and high-powered assult weapons, anything to make you feel safer DP.....peace and love, J C

Mr. McKeever your argument doesn't make any sense. Going by your logic if the police never need to use their guns we shouldn't have them carry them. Same thing for those defibilators they carry, if they have never saved anyone why bother. Why would the average citizen need to go to the police station to get tasered anyway? The police don't spray pepper spray on the average citizen nor strike them with their billy clubs. The taser is a less lethal force option that saves lives everyday; officers and non law abiding citizens

You are missing my point Mr. Waters.....Simply stated: Is the crime rate in this town so high that tasers are needed??? Maybe I don't think like everyone else here, but I'd rather see less vacant stores on Main St., and lower property taxes dealt with first before spending money where it is not needed. I think the police do a fine job in town right now, as is...

Oh lord, DP, lighten up! If you can't see the Saturday Night Live skit just begging that story line I feel sorry for you. THAT is what had me ROTFLMAO. And my "constant put downs' as you call them, are a direct result of *some* of the experiences that I have had with a select few of our department. In general I have tremendous respect for the police. A PD friend of mine explained it this way; if an officer is confronted by an unruly troop of trouble-makers and he puts his hand on his gun as a 'reminder' do you think that will make them hesitate? Of course not! Because they KNOW that the officer is so constrained by laws and procedures and guidelines and requirements that he is unlikely to shoot and possibly kill someone. Are you with me so far? Okay, now give the same officer a taser and when he is confronted by the unruly crowd and reaches for his taser... You know they will hesitate because he *can* use it without lethal results. And nobody wants to get tasered. So you see, I am all for it. It is much more humane than getting the daylights beat out of you with a club. I just want to be there when they test it... LMAO... oops sorry. However on the serious side, I do wonder exactly what type of crime we have here in the bucolic town and village that would warrant a taser. It seems to me that, aside from the speeders. the ones making the police blotter the most? well, of course! it's the 'Move-along Gang" our very own teenagers. SO if it goes to public vote I say give them one, mayyy-be two, but keep them locked up with the riot gear and only bring them out for special occasions.:-)

There is a lot out there on the net about Taser related deaths - you do your research. There is actually a whole group - Amnesty International that opposes Tasers.
There have been more than 150 deaths since June 2001. Also, police officers have filed law suits against Taser International as they themselves suffered serious injuires during Taser training activities. Yes, I've also read that they can not, in all cases blame the Taser totally - but come on, to have sudden death right after being Tasered - it was definitely the catalyst. You don't have to know Rockect Science to get that. Also, this is a small town - and abuse of the Tasers could occur very easily.
Also the UN has declared "TASER electronic stunguns are a form of torture that can kill."

So you need to do some research! Yes, someone might be have a pre-existing condition - what a coincidence that they had cardiac arrhythmia right after being Tasered and dropped dead.
I know the police have a difficult job, and I respect that. Like other posters - I do not see such a high crime rate to warrant the officers obtaining Tasers.

DP - don't be so ignorant that you believe that there are not some officers that would abuse the Tasers. I know better. So don't LMAO at me. I can not go into detail online, and like I said I do respect the police - so it is not about that! The issue is that Tasers can lead to death.

BTY - DP who are you? Why is it that everyone has a name but you?
Is that code for inverted DP - PD?

Does anyone remember the former town chief getting 'beat up' by one of our wonderful town teens who was just misunderstood? Of course it is wonderful that violent crime is low in this area, but the possibility for it exists, no matter how quiet your community. We haven't had a police involved shooting so should we take away their guns because they haven't used them? Lets vote to buy tasers and lock them up where they are rendered useless. Or maybe the officer can tell the offender to stop fighting while another officer runs back to the station to retrieve the taser. The potential for misuse or excess exists with any use of physical force situation, but the majority of officers nationwide use restraint, sometimes to the other extreme. The bottom line is, tasers are just another tool for officers to consider using in place of firearms, which almost always result in death, batons, which always cause injury, and pepper spray which is not always effective, longer in duration of discomfort, and guaranteed to comtaminate the arresting officer. BTW, the officer may have to make that life or death decision in a split second. Read the facts on taser related deaths closely and you will see that almost all of them (more than 90%) involved other contributing factors which were the primary cause of death, drugs being the biggest one.

One more point, anyone in favor of police carrying guns, I suggest you go to your local police dept for a demonstration. I bet your opinion would change. Anyone up for it?!!!

I am not against the police protecting themselves and us! If they are making a life and death decision that's 1 thing. The problem is proper training and the assurance of this not being abused. The deaths (even if 1 was on drugs) occurred directly after the tasering - so it is a combo that does not mix (therefore in these cases it is the same as pulling the trigger of a gun).

Also voltage has to be monitored in these devices as I've also read that some were pulled as voltage was 50% over the limit.

Also voltage has to be monitored in these devices as I've also read that some were pulled as voltage was 50% over the limit.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/us-human-rights/taser-abuse/page.do?id=1021202

Here are few more points for the misinformed posters out there
1) The money is coming from a grant that is for police expenses, so I don't think they can spend it on vacant store fronts. I don't think if they gave the money back to the state the state would lower your property taxes ($8000 is not a lot to the state).
2) Don't believe everything you read on the internet
3) I am sure amnesty international is against police breaking bones with night sticks
4) If an officer is going to torture someone it would probably be better to have it recorded on the taser cam
so the town can fire him
5) you can use a night stick, flash light or plunger to torture without a camera
6) officers can't change the power supply on the taser
7) it's not the volts it's the amps that matter
8) see number 2

Just because our town doesn't have a high crime rate do you really think that the police never have to you physical force? If and when they use the taser the incident is recorded in the taser and the taser cam.

The taser is like having a remote control - so it is very easy to be used - and easy to abuse. That's all I have to say, time will tell and I'm so glad that cameras are attached!

No officers can not change the voltage - but there are incidents where the voltage supplied by Taser International were way (50%) above the safety limit. I am not misinformed. Anyway time will tell......

or should I technically say amps..... whatever - like I said time will tell, and I so hope no-one miss uses the tasers - the importance is that the tasers are not equivalent to pepper spray - but are equivalent to drawing a gun on someone -

BTY number 4) it's too late if someone tortures someone - so the town fires him - the damage is already done

To Mr. "Roger Waters", why don't you use your real name????.... For all of you who don't know, Roger Waters is a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd....

In all seriousness, I think it comes down to responsibility. If the Chief is willing to be responsible for his men and answer to the community; in the training and employment of tasers, then that is fine. But if somebody screws up and misuses it, is it going to be swept aside, minimized or covered up and not scrutinized because that person is a police officer? (like, gee, that never happens here...) And what about the effect on a cop when someone that he has tasered drops dead? There are emotional and psychological issues there also, especially if someone has joined the force "to protect and serve". Despite all the comedic possibilities this is a serious issue and the Chief should be prepared to present to the community a *really* good case for getting tasers.

Wait a minute - which was the former town chief that got beat up by one of our former town teens? More details! more details! was the teen a big guy? was the chief a jerk? was the chief some fat old guy with a beer belly and the teen a nimble wrestler from the varsity team? (we prefer those sexy hardbodies on our force) More details! Which issue of the Local has this information?!

I like the way you think Kate.....This town needs more voices like yours and Linda's and less robotic "Yes Men" like the ones we are seeing here in this discussion.....

Question for Frank V. Can you please explain your comment about being in favor of cops having guns and going over for a demo? I don't get it.I think cops can carry guns as long as I can carry a gun (long live the second amendment!) but if going for a demo means watching some guy take 4 shots to kill a varmint at close range when he could have kicked it to death faster then maybe I *should* change my mind...

Answer for Kate B. You obviously missed the sarcasm in my reply. Going down to your local PD to get shot so you know how it feels is no more ridiculous than Jim McKeever's suggestion to get tasered by your local PD so you know how it feels. And you did hit the nail on the head when you brought up emotional and psychological issues. Police officers face them every day when making these decisions, whether it is in the use of force, or dealing with notifying a family member of a loved one's death or dealing with the many horrible things human beings are capable of doing to other human beings. The vast majority of officers handle these things in a professional manner every day of their career. It is only a very small percentage that abuse their position or use excessive and cruel force when making an arrest. Most departments deal with these officers in an appropriate manner. Unfortunately, it's the very few that don't, that give police a bad name.

Jim and Kate, thank you - I felt alone in this one. I think the police dept should consult w/ other police depts on their use - or decision not to use tasers. Here is an article I found interesting and of relevance:

http://www.indybay.org/olduploads/sj-taser-review.pdf

It discussed how tasers were tested (by the production company) and how some police depts once gainging this knowledge decided against using tasers. At the end is a syllabus of resources......for those who want to check out the articles validity. The controversy has been on-going for a long time now.

A lot of taser-related deaths occur when the person tasered gets it in the chest, not on the back where the police demostrate it on themselves...

Thank you Frank for your response. Yes, unfortunately, sarcasm, irony, and a whole lot of other emotions and attitudes are lost in the printed word. That is the one really big drawback in these blogs and forums (and the reason I always seem to be getting into trouble... hee hee hee)