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Taser Training a Must For Deputies
It’s not a good feeling. But that’s the point. “I would describe it as every muscle in your body clenching as hard as it can with all the force that they have. All at the same time," said Sergeant John Hayes of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
“Any deputy is going to have to go through this training and receive a hit from this Taser in order to carry one,” said the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jack Campbell.
The training includes classroom instruction, a written test and, of course, real life experience. Sangamon County deputies started carrying Tasers in 2005. About two thirds of the department keeps one ready in their belt. “Studies have shown that when you go hands on, when the officers go hands on, that the officers tend to get hurt more and the suspects tend to get hurt more," Campbell said.
Which is why in certain situations deputies see the Taser as a safer alternative. Although, that's been challenged. When a Springfield inmate died after being tased by deputies in 2007 and a suspect in a violent home invasion in Grandview died after being tased in 2010. In both cases the cause of death was ruled as something other than the Taser.
“We have had some instances where it was kind of controversial about things that happened. you know I'm not really at liberty to discuss those but the whole point of a Taser is so we don't, we're trying to reduce injuries, and studies show that that actually is the case," Campbell said.
Part of the training also includes deputies suiting up for scenarios. Ones where using a Taser is not appropriate and ones where it is.
