Spotlight on stun guns

On Jan. 2, Redwood City officers used rifles to kill a machete-wielding man who failed to drop his weapon after being shot 15 times with wooden pellets and three times with a Taser gun. The same day, a Pacifica man died when police used a Taser gun to subdue him.

Toxicology reports to determine if the men were on drugs are expected back within two weeks.

The deaths led Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, to announce his intention to author a bill requiring state regulations on the use of Taser guns. The legislation, to be introduced next week, will also call for research on the effects of Tasers on a person's heart.

A Taser gun delivers 50,000 volts of electricity via two prongs that are shot into a person's skin or clothing. Taser guns have been around for years, but as they become more popular, critics are questioning whether they cause heart attacks and how carefully they are used.

In 2004, the Department of Justice issued grants to the University of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania State University, Wake Forest University and the International Association of Chiefs of Police for research related to the use of electro-muscular disruption technology.

The studies, however, won't be completed until late this year or in 2006. Regardless of the lack of conclusive information, police departments continue to buy up Tasers and use other less-than-lethal weapons on criminals.

Belmont, San Bruno, San Mateo and San Mateo County SWAT team already use Taser guns. Burlingame is planning to arm officers and Foster City is looking into it, but hasn't had to use its less-than-lethal rubber bullets in the four years since the department purchased the gun.

In Burlingame, "small Taser are going to be put into use shortly," said police Sgt. Pete Tokarski.

Supervisors have carried an older model Taser gun that required a police officer to actually touch the prongs to a person instead of shooting the prongs from a distance. Now, some officers are attending 8-hour training classes before being handed a Taser and training the rest of the department, Tokarski said.

The Tasers are replacing other forms of less-than-lethal weapons that are more cumbersome to handle. Burlingame uses a compressed air gun that shoots baseball-sized beanbags that expand when they hit a target.

The problem is that each round has to be loaded one at a time. In a case where someone is charging with a weapon, it would be quicker and safer to use a Taser, Tokarski said.

Belmont instituted Taser guns in December after sending officers through an intense eight-hour training where they were required to pass a written test about how to use the gun, types of voltage and other technical questions. Officers are also required to watch a video of how people react to the shock, Sgt. Mike Braké.

Belmont also uses pepper spray guns that deliver shots of the eye-stinging substance into rooms.

San Bruno issued Taser guns to rank and file officers in December and already used it twice, said Capt. Neil Telford.

The results are mixed.

In the first case, an officer used the Taser gun to shock a suicidal person reaching into a box of knives. It was successful and the person was taken into custody shortly after being shocked. In the second case, a person fleeing from police was shot with a Taser gun, but one dart missed and the person pulled the other out, Telford said.

"Each case is its own unique situation. Unfortunately, we can't set a policy for each case," Telford said.

Instead, police departments leave the decision to use force up to each officer.

Each department, however, follows a similar protocol requiring officers to start with verbal commands and escalating to pepper spray and possibly Taser guns.

When it comes down to it, officers would rather have the Taser gun as an extra option.

"It's pulling your side arm verses a Taser," said Braké.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.