Taser Protocol For Police

WOW - this is pathetic. These guys don't have one clue to rub together. They're a deadly combination.

Mar 23, 2009
Reporter: Tiffany Teasley

Following a deadly Taser incident in Bay City leaving a 15-year-old dead, News 10 examines Taser protocol for law enforcement.

It's a tool you don't want to be a target of -- with just one trigger pull the shock of a Taser confuses the nervous system causing the muscles to contract, but how long is too long?

"You use a Taser until you determine that it's not effective and then you switch to a different tool, or once you see that resistance end then you stop using the Taser," said Michigan State Police Sgt. Jason Williams

Williams gave News 10 a Taster demonstration, he says the voltage and amperage are already preset on the Taser. A typical deployment last about 5 seconds, but officers can continue tasering if the subject is still combative.

"And if after a 5 second deployment, that resistive behavior starts again, then it's very justified to use two or three or four subsequent cycles, as far as particular guidelines, it's really what's reasonable," Williams said.

Most officers use the X 26 Taser, with a peak voltage of about 50,000 but once it hits the body officers say it's only about 1200 volts.

"Tasers don't cause deaths, other factors that are involved in those situations are generally what cause those deaths," Williams said.

Factors like substance abuse combined with high adrenaline can be deadly says Dr. Ran Rhule of Sparrow Hospital.

"Ingestion of an exciting drug, cocaine amphetamines, patients that are heavily narcotized by alcohol," Rhule said.

But even in repetition Rhule says the shock is safe.

"It's safe based on the voltage and the amperage, that's the safe part," Rhule said.