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PTCPD set to ‘stun’ with new tasersFri, 03/27/2009 - 3:49pm
By: John Munford
Auto dealer ponies up $27K for program 
With the click of a trigger and the crackling of electricity, Peachtree City police officers were introduced Wednesday to their Taser guns. The jolt incapacitates a suspect to the point where they can no longer stand up. While the initial “blast” lasts just five seconds, the officers learned that the stunned feeling lingers a short while after the electrical burst ends. Long enough, at least, for officers to swoop in and handcuff someone who refuses to follow orders and might be endangering others. The devices were purchased thanks to a $27,000 donation from Nissan South/Kia of Union City. Police Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark said he thinks the Taser guns will be used for combative persons who don’t commands. Previously such situations might have called for the use of pepper spray, but as Clark noted, in some cases people can still fight with their eyes closed. Pepper spray “doesn’t incapacitate a person,” Clark said. Lt. John Jenkins, who led the training session, warned officers that suspects on drugs such as cocaine will go right back to having those violent reactions as soon as the electrical shock wears off. The gun fires two sharp probes connected by wires. The probes are designed to penetrate clothing and enter the skin to deliver the electrical shock that incapacitates the suspect. Each gun also maintains a computer record of data from each time the gun is fired. Also, each firing results in a spray of micro-confetti with special serial numbers so it’s easy to determine where a shot was fired. The tasers cost up to $900 each with accessories such as holsters, Clark said. Before the training began Wednesday, Clark thanked Nissan South/Kia of Union City owner Scott Smith for the company’s donation. Smith and his team at Nissan South/Kia of Union City for helping with a program that will ultimately prevent injuries and save lives. After viewing a demonstration of the taser’s effectiveness, Smith said he had reached out to the police department to try and meet a critical need. Smith noted that more than half the company’s customers live in the Fayette area, along with his general manager, Sam Ajayi, who lives in Peachtree City. The donation, Smith feels, is a way to give back — and be a part of — the community. login to post comments
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