City police seek OK to buy 50 Tasers

City council will be asked tonight to approve the purchase of the electronic devices.

By PATRICIA MEADE

VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Why bust heads when a Taser will make out-of-control bad guys say “uncle”?

The police department gives its officers a gun, a baton and pepper spray to use “as impact weapons,” said Police Chief Jimmy Hughes. The Taser is the next tool on the belt.

“The use of a Taser can de-escalate or save someone’s life. It’s a lot of control with the least amount of injury,” he said.

Hughes said the police department wants to buy 50 of the electronic control devices. In time, he’d like to see all officers, about 190, outfitted with them.

An ordinance authorizing the board of control to buy 50 from Taser International will be considered by city council tonight. The purchase will be made through the state’s cooperative purchasing contract, with the cost not to exceed $50,500, said Detective William Blanchard, police fiscal officer.

The model being bought does not have a camera but does store data including the time, date and burst duration.

Hughes said he expects officers on patrol who have crisis intervention training to be the first to be Taser-trained. The officers’ specialized crisis training is geared toward handling mental-health crises and emotionally charged domestic violence encounters.

Taser training is expected to be conducted by Patrolman Mark Crissman, weapons officer, Blanchard said.

Restricted use

Hughes said the electronic control devices are intended for use on those who are seriously noncompliant and could cause injury to themselves or officers.

The Taser, he said, is a necessary tool and he’s impressed with its ability to render dangerous individuals compliant with police orders.

Once applied to the body, the electrical pulses affect the sensory and motor functions of the peripheral nervous system. The Web site www.taser.com has virtual tour videos that demonstrate what happens when a Taser is used.

“Excellent tool, excellent tool. Studies show resisting arrest goes down dramatically,” said Liberty Police Chief Tony Slifka. “I know they’re controversial now because it’s in the news.”

An arrest in Warren in which the officer used an electronic control device is under review. The officer’s dash-cam video of the event has been aired locally and nationally.

Slifka said all Taser users must be trained and certified. He said he was stunned during training — and the result was that he would have done anything he was told to do.

Slifka said his department has 14 of the devices, used mostly by officers working at night. His plan is to have one Taser for each officer.

Who has them

Lt. Robin Lees, commander of the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force, said the unit has a few of these electronic tools for the Crisis Response Team. The arrest of a man who holed up in a Liberty motel was aided by the use of a Taser, he said.

A sampling of local police departments shows that Boardman, Austinown and Canfield have the electronic devices. The Ohio State Highway Patrol has a Taser in every trooper’s patrol car statewide.

Austintown Lt. Bryan Kloss said his department has found Taser to be a very effective tool, with no problems, no injuries. He said every officer is Taser-trained and the devices are checked out at the start of each turn.

meade@vindy.com