Police complete taser training

Screams of pain could be heard this week coming from the Fremont Police Department's training room.

No, not from unruly suspects.

These were officers training to administer five-second 50,000-volt charges to each other with newly purchased Tasers.

“We're trying to get you guys past the fear of holding someone while shooting them (with the Taser),” said Sgt. Shane Wimer, one of the instructors. “The charge will not pass to you.”

The 50,000-volt charge from the Taser can be fired from up to 25 feet away and would be the officer's last choice of force before his service handgun. It only affects voluntary, not involuntary muscles, and does not affect the heart, he said. Suspects generally retain their continence and it does not affect pacemakers.

“You can shoot up to 25 feet away, but we want to try to stay within 15 feet,” Wimer said. “You can shoot anywhere on the body, just try and avoid the face if you can.”

Officer Todd Sabata gritted his teeth, groaned loudly and his whole body tensed up when he was lying face down on the floor experiencing the five seconds of being shot by a Taser in the leg. Two other officers held him down.

“It felt like a real bad charley horse, my whole leg cramped,” he said. “My leg felt dead and then I started tingling.”

He said right after the electricity stopped, he regained some feeling back and it was about one to two minutes before he could move.

“It was worse than I expected,” Sabata said. “When the current went through, I felt helpless, like I couldn't do anything. It felt like forever.”

Wimer instructed that the barbs at the end of the Taser do not have to penetrate the skin. The electricity will arc through, he said.

“I thought I was having a heart attack,” said Officer Mike Diers. “I didn't think it was ever stopping. I couldn't feel my whole body.”

When the current is flowing and for a short time after, Wimer said suspects won't be able to fight back, grab a gun or engage the officer in a fight.

“If I was a bad guy, once that happened, I'd be a good guy,” said Officer Brian Soucie after being shocked.

“It's going to affect everyone (suspects),” Wimer said. “It's not going to affect everyone the same.”

There are two probes per cartridge to fire, but if an officer is by himself and can't apprehend the suspect, another five-second round can be applied, said Officer Brandon Lorenson, another instructor.

The Fremont Police Department has four Tasers and plans to purchase three more this fall. That would allow for most officers on a shift to carry one. Future purchases are planned.

“We're waiting for final approval of the policies (of operation) from the city council,” Lorenson said.

That approval is expected within the next few weeks and then the officers will start carrying them.

“Tasers are a great tool to prevent injury to the officer and the suspect,” Lorenson said. “It decreases the physical force because you don't have to touch the person.”

Tasers would not be used for suspects attacking with weapons.

“A Taser is not a substitute for lethal force,” Lorenson said. “A person coming at you with a knife or gun, that's lethal force and we have to use our guns.”

Each Taser costs about $1,000 and the cartridges cost about $15 apiece. They were paid for out of the department's general fund.