[url]http://www.kristv.com/global/story.asp?s=11368187[/URL]
CORPUS CHRISTI - The police department's has plans to change its training policy on how officers use their tasers.
Taser International has issued a warning about the use of its stun guns and it's advising police departments across the country not to aim tasers at a suspect's chest. The company said there's a small chance that the 50,000 volt discharge could cause heart problems.
Although it's a small risk, the Corpus Christi Police Department wants to follow the company's advice.
Thursday, all officers got a memo explaining how the new policy will work. Using a taser is an important part of every officers training, but that training will soon change.
They're following Taser International's advice and asking officers to aim the weapon below the chest to avoid possible cardiac problems.
"We're going to modify what we've told them. We want them on a frontal deployment to aim at low body mass instead of upper body mass the chest area," CCPD Capt. Cook said.
Of course, each real-life scenario will be different and Cook said the taser probes may not always go where the officers want them to, especially when a suspect is running.
"It's difficult, it's stressful and under stress, unfortunately, we don't always have total control of what we want to occur," Cook explained.
Cook sent out a training bulletin explaining the new policy Thursday.
New officers will also be trained to avoid tasing a suspect's chest area. Cook said this change does come with some benefits.
He said when you aim the taser lower, it's more effective. Balancing muscles are in the abdomen so a suspect will likely go down quicker.
"I would say we still stand behind the device. We think it's an effective tool for the officers to have and we will continue to carry them at this point," Cook said.
Police Chief Troy Riggs will sign an administrative order soon and this would allow for a change of the taser policy in the rules and training manual.
As for the Nueces County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Jim Kaelin said they also plan to draft a new training policy.
CORPUS CHRISTI - The police department's has plans to change its training policy on how officers use their tasers.
Taser International has issued a warning about the use of its stun guns and it's advising police departments across the country not to aim tasers at a suspect's chest. The company said there's a small chance that the 50,000 volt discharge could cause heart problems.
Although it's a small risk, the Corpus Christi Police Department wants to follow the company's advice.
Thursday, all officers got a memo explaining how the new policy will work. Using a taser is an important part of every officers training, but that training will soon change.
They're following Taser International's advice and asking officers to aim the weapon below the chest to avoid possible cardiac problems.
"We're going to modify what we've told them. We want them on a frontal deployment to aim at low body mass instead of upper body mass the chest area," CCPD Capt. Cook said.
Of course, each real-life scenario will be different and Cook said the taser probes may not always go where the officers want them to, especially when a suspect is running.
"It's difficult, it's stressful and under stress, unfortunately, we don't always have total control of what we want to occur," Cook explained.
Cook sent out a training bulletin explaining the new policy Thursday.
New officers will also be trained to avoid tasing a suspect's chest area. Cook said this change does come with some benefits.
He said when you aim the taser lower, it's more effective. Balancing muscles are in the abdomen so a suspect will likely go down quicker.
"I would say we still stand behind the device. We think it's an effective tool for the officers to have and we will continue to carry them at this point," Cook said.
Police Chief Troy Riggs will sign an administrative order soon and this would allow for a change of the taser policy in the rules and training manual.
As for the Nueces County Sheriff's Department, Sheriff Jim Kaelin said they also plan to draft a new training policy.
