• 17
  • February
    2012

Newburgh police officers use stun guns when making arrests more often than other cities, according to an analysis by the Poughkeepsie Journal. The newspaper compiled 467 stun gun reports from 19 police agencies and analyzed the findings. It was found that there may be more frequent use because an officer is on a risky or high-volume assignment.

The supervisors for the officers that used the stun guns more frequently stated that each use was a valid use. Police use guidelines to determine when they can use the Taser.

One police officer used his Taser 10 out of the 39 department uses of Tasers since 2005.

The undersheriff said that this particular policeman is proactive. He writes 1,500 tickets per year and makes 200 arrests. His used his Taser in less than one percent of the time he had contact with people to issue tickets or make an arrest.

In one of his cases, the police officer tased a man that allegedly had a blood alcohol reading of five times the legal limit and claimed to have a gun. The accused also allegedly kept his hand hidden from the police officer during the incident.

In another incident, a law enforcement officer chased someone who apparently drove through a stop sign. The ensuing chase reached 87 mph in a 30 mph zone before the driver crashed. The driver then reportedly got into a scuffle with the policeman, who then tased him several times.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, a police officer interviewed said he was comfortable with all of his Taser deployments.

Police officials state that using a Taser keeps suspects and police officers safer than if Tasers were not used. Apparently there is less injury during a stop where a suspect may be a danger to himself or others around, including cops.

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal: "Stun-gun use per officer can vary widely," Mary Beth Pfeiffer, Feb. 12, 2012