By Kathie O. Warco, Staff writer

kwarco@observer-reporter.com

Bob Wilson remembers his entire body locking up when the probes hit him. It's an experience the Washington police captain never wants to have again.

"It was the worst five seconds of my life," Wilson said of the five-second charge from the Taser fired at him during a training exercise. "I could feel my toes curl under my feet. I just locked up and had no control. But after those five seconds, I was back walking around normally."

More police officers are being certified to use Tasers to deal with scofflaws who choose to ignore their commands. Tasers are used in similar situations in which an officer would use a chemical spray. Police also fill out a use of force report any time they use the Taser.

But the use of Tasers has come under fire, particularly in Allegheny County, where one man died after being struck. The county's medical examiner later determined that agitated delirium from acute cocaine intoxication caused his death, not the Taser. As a result, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala has put together a committee to review Taser protocols.

So far, the Washington County district attorney has received no formal complaints or requests to review Taser use policies.

"It is something I anticipated in light of what happened in Allegheny County, but we've had no instances to trigger it," District Attorney Steven Toprani said last week.

After talking with police officers in the county, Toprani said most use the Taser as a nonlethal approach to someone exhibiting threatening behavior.

"And I understand that they use it after trying traditional approaches to arrest someone not complying with physical or verbal commands," Toprani said.

'A great tool'

Officer John Lindley, who serves as the Taser training officer for Washington police, said when fired, the weapon releases a wire with two probes attached at the end, less than a half-inch in length. Large muscle areas, such as the legs, buttocks or chest, are targeted. The head and neck areas are avoided. When the probes hit the suspect, pulses overload and the muscles lock up during the five-second charge.

City police have to caution the target at least once, but most often at least a few warnings are given before the Taser is used. The suspects usually are fighting with police or hurting someone. Sometimes they pose a threat to themselves.

"It is a great tool," Lindley said. "It incapacitates the subject quickly, and you don't have to be that close."

City police Chief James R. Blyth said using the Taser enables officers to avoid engaging in hand-to-hand combat with suspects.

North Franklin Township police Officer Jerry Cavanaugh said that department's policy allows a qualified officer to use a Taser with a noncompliant suspect who is not heeding police commands.

"It falls within the same level as using pepper spray," Cavanaugh said. "We always advise them when we are going to use a Taser, just like we tell them when we are going to use the OC (Oleoresin Capsicum gas) spray."

"Once you are hit with the Taser, it is over in five seconds," he added. "You might feel the effects of the OC spray for days. It gets into your pores and hair."

After the Taser is deployed, ambulance crews respond to check the subject, and, if necessary, remove the probes. Lindley said the manufacturer, Taser International, has conducted studies on the effects of the weapon on the body.

"The amps from the Taser are no higher than what is in a light bulb on a Christmas tree," Lindley said.

Quite a jolt

Dr. P.S. Martin, director of pre-hospital medicine for the Allegheny Health System and medical director of Lifeflight, said the jolt from a Taser is similar to that of an electrical outlet.

"The jolt is enough to disable, but for most people in the population, in my experience, it is safe," said Martin, who sees patients in emergency rooms at both Canonsburg General Hospital and Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh.

Martin said any injuries that occur are the result of falls, usually bone breaks or head injuries. The probes are easily removed and do not cause trauma.

Deaths are most common in suspects using drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamines or other cardiac stimulants.

State police have a use-of-force policy that outlines when Tasers can be used. The policy builds from the least amount of force up to lethal force, said state police spokesman Jack Lewis.

State police began training and equipping officers earlier this year after conducting a two-year study by providing Tasers to 18 troopers, In the first six months of the year, troopers used Tasers 144 times.

Cavanaugh said North Franklin police would not use the Taser unless they intended to arrest the suspect.

North Franklin police Superintendent Richard Horner said the township's insurance representative told him that workers' compensation cases in departments that use the Taser are down by 50 percent.

Lindley and Cavanaugh, as certified instructors in the use of the Taser, received 16 hours of training and have to be recertified every two years. The initial training for an officer to become qualified to use a Taser is eight hours followed by a refresher course every year.

Price of protection

Tasers are expensive. Each Taser costs $1,000, Cavanaugh said, while the cartridge containing the probes is $25 apiece and can be used just once. For that reason, it costs about $100 to train each officer.

"It is not cheap, but it is worth it," Cavanaugh said.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 95, which includes Washington police officers, donated money to purchase Tasers. Several merchants also made contributions. City police have seven Tasers shared by the members who are certified to use the weapon. North Franklin police received a grant to purchase Tasers.

Skeptics and believers

Chartiers Township police Chief James Horvath acknowledges that the Taser is a useful tool for police, but he is waiting to equip his officers.

"With all the negatives that have been publicized recently, I just want to wait and see," Horvath said. "I'm sure at some point, the state will step in and issue regulations for the use.

"I am not against Tasers," he added. "I am for everything to keep the officer and public safe. We try to use the least amount of force possible. But the bottom line is people need to comply with our commands."

Police are beginning to find that more uncooperative suspects who are warned that a Taser will be used are complying with commands.

Martin also is seeing fewer cases in the emergency room at AGH. He has not seen anyone hit with a Taser at Canonsburg.

"I can honestly say that when police started using them, we saw a number of patients," Martin said. "But in the last six months to a year, the numbers have gone down."

Cavanaugh concurs.

"Nine times out of 10, when they hear Taser, Taser, Taser, they are done," Cavanaugh said. "But you always have that 10 percent who want to challenge. But I can tell you that being hit with a Taser is a sobering experience."

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