Southern NH police officials say Tasers are invaluable

Oct 22, 2009 (The Eagle-Tribune - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- TASR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Local police department officials were full of praise for Tasers yesterday and not too concerned about the company's recent advisory warning users not to shoot suspects squarely in the chest.

TASER International, which manufactures the stun guns used by nearly all Southern New Hampshire police departments, issued a training advisory last week that said police officers could avoid controversy if they aimed at areas other than the chest.

Most local officials said they believed the advisory was more about litigation than safety. But they did say they would review training procedures as a result.

"We are aware of it; we did receive the advisory," Salem police Capt. Shawn Patten said. "I don't think it really has an impact on the way we do business. If possible, and the officer has an opportunity to aim lower, they should take it."

Patten said the advisory doesn't mean Taser use is unsafe, rather that not shooting a suspect in the chest would reduce the chances for litigation.

Salem police use Tasers once or twice a month, Patten said. Every one of the department's 60 full-time officers carries a Taser.

"For us, it's been excellent. It decreases injury risk to the officers and other people," he said. "It allows us to get people into custody without having to be hands-on. ... I think it's a great tool for law enforcement."

Pelham police Chief Joseph Roark said his department has been using Tasers for at least five years without any problems.

"Obviously, the more it gets used, the more out-of-the-ordinary circumstances exist," Roark said. "We don't know who we're Tasering, if they have a cardiac condition, if there's stimulant use involved."

He said the long-term effects of Tasers are much less than those of other weapons, including guns, batons and pepper spray. And that's part of the appeal.

"I still stand by them as a reasonable and less lethal option," Roark said. "They're much cleaner and cause less long-term injury than (pepper) spray."

And there's the ancillary benefit of Tasers becoming well known, the chief said. When an officer removes a Taser from a holster, he said, and warns a suspect what's coming, it's often enough to de-escalate the situation.

"I have a great deal of faith in those, they've been a blessing for our agency," Roark said. "It's a very controlled use of force and that's what we like about it."

He said all 19 of Pelham's full-time officers have Tasers. The department uses a Taser only occasionally, perhaps once or twice a month.

For smaller departments, like Pelham, a Taser can be even more valuable because there isn't the backup that's available in larger departments.

"On patrol shifts, we only run two or three officers. When we get into a physical confrontation, we don't have the ability to send other officers in," Roark said. "It's virtually a tool at our department that's vital right now."

Danville police Chief Wade Parsons, who has just five full-time officers, echoed those sentiments.

"We typically have one officer on duty at a time, especially during the evening," Parsons said. "Even though we do enjoy mutual aid from surrounding towns, there is a response time. It's a very beneficial tool for us."

Parsons said his department had only used Tasers three times in the few years they have been in use in Danville. There have been no adverse reactions in any of those instances, he said.

Neighboring Kingston, too, is happy with what Tasers can do, according to police Chief Donald Briggs.

Someone donated 15 Tasers to the department and all officers have them. Kingston has nine full-time officers.

"We've used them twice and we've been very successful," he said. "Neither individual was injured in any way."

Briggs did say all his officers would be made aware of the Taser advisory.

"We train with them every year, as they recommend we do," he said. "We have other less lethal weapons -- pepper gun, pepper gas, bean-bag gun. We try to use as many less lethal weapons as possible."

And he, too, said just the threat of being shot with a Taser is often enough to calm down a combative suspect.

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