Taser use by Columbia Police debated

Coalition to Control TASERS says the weapons should be a last resort.

By Katie Moritz

Published April 2, 2009

Many Columbia citizens are shocked at the way Columbia police are using Tasers, said Mary Hussmann, spokeswoman for the Coalition to Control TASERS.

The coalition met Wednesday to discuss what they believe to be a lack of responsibility on the part of the Columbia City Council and Columbia Police Department in regards to Taser use.

"City Council's policy is pretty much cross your fingers and hope nobody dies," Hussmann said.

She said the meeting was held in desperation, and that they have tried to discuss their concerns with both CPD and City Council and have gotten nowhere.

Hussmann and other members of the coalition want CPD to be stricter about the way officers are allowed to use Tasers.

Columbia City Councilman Chris Janku said CPD is continuing to revise and change their policies based on complaints they've gotten from citizens.

Janku said there have been complaints of CPD using the Tasers irrationally.

"The police department did take a look and they admitted that there were a couple times it was inappropriate," Janku said. "There have been a couple of times where it has not been within their guidelines."

Janku said no matter the policy revisions they make, the CPD will continue to use Tasers.

CPD officials declined to comment.

Coalition member Ed Berg said police officers have been known to threaten suspects with their Tasers, which are made to look like revolvers.

"Brandishing the weapon and threatening with it far outnumbered times the weapon was deployed," Berg said. "This leads us to believe there is not much control of how the officers use the Tasers."

Coalition members are concerned with injuries that could result from being Tased. Berg said in the meeting that the shock applied by a Taser could cause the target's muscles to contract, causing the bones to crack.

Michelle Ray, whose son was shot with a Taser and arrested after walking with a boy who had been in a fight, gave a presentation at the meeting. Her son, a high school student at Hickman High School at the time, resisted arrest and was shot with the Taser. Police dropped the charges against Ray's son after apprehending him.

Ray said her son now suffers heart problems and severe back and chest pain. Ray said this caused her and her son to mistrust the police.

Hussmann said CPD did not have Tasers until late 2006, and didn't start actively using them until 2007.

Coalition member and local attorney Dan Viets said one danger of using Tasers is the risk the victim might be in too poor of health to survive the shock. Viets said CPD claimed to never use Tasers on the very old or young, the sick or pregnant women.

Berg said the company that produces Tasers, TASER International, encourages police officers to subject themselves to being shot by a Taser. But police officers are not tased for the full five seconds and are caught before they fall down, Berg said.

Hussmann said she wishes the City Council would have resolved the issue of Tase responsibility sooner.

"It's very unfortunate that the City Council did not resolve this situation before the new police chief came on board," Hussmann said.

Berg said the coalition hopes to have a positive relationship with the department's new police chief, Kenneth Burton.

"He is ready and willing to meet with the coalition in private," Hussmann said.

Above all, Berg said the use of Tasers is unjust and unfair.

"Any person is entitled to a trial and a jury before they are punished," Berg said. "There is now the judge and jury and that's the Taser gun."