Sheriff Petitions County for Tasers

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QUICK TAKE

Tasers on the horizon   Genesee County Sheriff's Department deputies on the road and in jail would be armed with Tasers, according to a plan the county Board of Commissioners tentatively approved Wednesday.     The county would buy 26 Tasers costing $125 apiece from the Oakland County Sheriff's Department are expected to each to be purchased .     Sheriff Robert J. Pickell said he's convinced the weapons could help save the lives of officers and suspects and stop violence from escalating in the county jail.

GENESEE COUNTY - Sheriff Robert J. Pickell is close to putting Tasers in the hands of some paramedics and jail guards, saying the fatal shooting of a woman by Flint police last month shows the need for the devices.

"Recent events not only in the city of Flint but across the state and nation (show) there may be a need for Tasers," Pickell told the county Board of Commissioners on Wednesday. "We have enough violence in our community. If we can prevent the death of a suspect, we should do that."

The county's sudden move toward Tasers comes less than two weeks after Flint police shot Jo Ann Burgett, 46, multiple times near her home in Shady Acres mobile home park after she moved toward them with a knife.

Neighbors have criticized police for using deadly force in that shooting, and Flint Councilwoman Carolyn Sims has called the shooting "a senseless murder."

Neither Flint police nor sheriff's deputies carry Tasers.

Commissioners gave tentative approval Wednesday to begin purchasing the weapons for use by road officers, paramedics and jail guards. Final approval of the purchase could come as early as next week when commissioners meet again.

Tasers are powered by a 50,000-volt electrical burst and can be used to subdue suspects. Pickell wants to work with Oakland County to purchase a basic model of the weapon at a cost of $125 each.

He said during a presentation that the weapons will give jail guards in particular a good tool for controlling violence.

"Once that Taser is used, it de-escalates a situation. It gives us a chance to bring that person under control," Pickell said after a demonstration of a Taser on Capt. Chris Swanson. "I feel almost compelled to come to the board to request we purchase these."

The Flint Journal could not reach acting Flint Police Chief Gary Hagler for comment, but he has said he isn't comfortable with the prospect of his officers carrying Tasers.

Pickell has flirted with the idea of purchasing Tasers before but backed off a plan to arm deputies with them in 2005 after the highly publicized death of a man hit by a Taser in Chicago.

Commissioner Woodrow Stanley, D-Flint, said he doesn't know the particulars of the Burgett shooting but remarked, "The ideal situation is to disarm someone and (not) harm the officer or the perpetrator."

But Flint Police Officers Association President Keith Speer said that while Tasers could help officers in some situations, the recent shooting isn't one of them.

"You do not use a Taser on someone who's ... trying to kill you," Speer said. "You Taser someone who's unruly (and) empty-handed."

Commissioner Rose Bogardus, D-Davison, said she does not plan to fight the Taser purchase, but their cost was being underestimated because it did not include funding to train officers how to use them.

Bogardus left the Wednesday committee meeting after being told Swanson would be shot with a Taser during a demonstration.

"I don't want to watch this," Bogardus said before leaving.

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