Heidi Gill learned the hard way that disobeying a Warren police officer’s orders could be enough reason to be jolted by the electrical shock from a Taser gun, according to the department’s use-of-force policy.
Says Rick Mahan, coordinator of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in Youngstown: "It’s a better form of non-lethal weapon."
Even the manufacturer no longer calls the weapon "non-lethal." And yet police continue to use it as though it were.
Again, I wasn’t there, but one question remains, did the officer attempt to use other lesser means of force to subdue her? Or perhaps he could have just let her run away, who cares.
ReplyDeleteI doubt she’ll be convicted of kicking the patrol cars window out or the alleged escape. Had I just been electrocuted by this officer while handcuffed, and placed in the back seat? I too might try to escape, what’s next? I remember once having to taze a suspect who was handcuffed. But he was about 6-04, 280 pounds, muscle bound, fresh out of the joint, and under the influence of PCP.
In this case had the officer maintained a decent standard of physical conditioning, he may have been able to place control holds, arm controls, wrist locks, twist locks, come along techniques on Heidi Gill. Or how about a little OC pepper spray. Or if necessary, a carotid restraint. Regardless, if she was that violent, why didn’t he have her legs restrained to prevent further incident.