The best tool to de-escalate a situation any law enforcement officer has in his arson is the Taser. For the past few weeks, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department has been testing a newer model Taser, the Taser 7. The Department has been using the X26P Taser for several years, and it is due for an upgrade.
“Usually, after about five years, TASER recommends an upgrade or new device for warranty purposes and safety,” said Sgt. Jake Driskell, who has been teaching Taser Certification classes at the Jones County Sheriff’s Department Training Center and demonstrating the Taser 7. “Over time, parts of the Taser will go out.”
“The Taser in itself is an effective tool,” said Sheriff Joe Berlin. “It’s used to gain compliance from a combative suspect.”
He explained that a Taser is not used in the place of deadly force.
“I’m asked all the time why didn’t they use a Taser. Deadly force is its own option,” explained Berlin.
“As law enforcement, we live in a world of seconds,” stated Driskell. “We get two, three, or four seconds most of the time, max, to make a decision that we have to think about, evaluate, react to, and live with, when society gets hours, days, months and years to evaluate the decision I made in three seconds. As law enforcement, we understand that is the world we live in, and we still do what we do because it is a calling.”
The Taser is primarily used on suspects who are combative, fleeing from officers on foot, or resisting arrest. It is the best tool to use to take them into custody without causing harm to them or the officer.
“The less we have to fight and wrestle around with a suspect, the less chance of injuries to us or the suspect,” said Berlin.
“The Taser 7 is more effective than the old X26P,” said Driskell. “It’s different from the X26P in that it allows us to have two shots.”
Driskell explained that to get a second shot off with the X26P, another dart cartridge must be loaded. Sometimes the first shot misses, and sometimes there is more than one suspect. The new Taser 7 is capable of shooting twice without having to reload.
The sharp darts that enter the body are barbed to keep from pulling out easily.
“Sometimes the Taser will hit clothing or something in a violators pocket that will prevent the Neuro Muscular Incapacitation (NMI) from happening,” said Driskell. “The NMI is what locks the violators up and lets us take them into custody without having to physically fight with them.”
Driskell explained that for the NMI to occur, both darts have to enter the suspect’s body. The new Taser 7 has two lasers that indicate the top and bottom point of entry of the darts, where the X26P only has one laser. Being able to see where both darts will land allows the officers to be more effective and less likely to miss.
Another advantage to the Taser 7 is it can be fired as close as three feet from the suspect. With the old X26P, you must be seven to eight feet from the suspect.
Driskell said the Taser is a safe tool to use. It has a very low amperage, which is the more dangerous part of electricity. When a suspect is tasered, approximately 1200 volts travels across their body.
“By department policy, the Sheriff requires each officer to go through an exposure (Tasered), so they know what is going on,” said Driskell. He added that the officers could then assure the violator that he’s not dying because it feels like you are.
“You can ask any of the deputies or anyone that has taken an exposure, it’s probably the worst thing in your life for five seconds,” declared Driskell. “For me, the Taser is the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. Five seconds, and it’s over.”
Driskell explained how many lives have been saved when the taser was used to de-escalate a situation, stop a suspect from fleeing, or cause a person threatening suicide to drop their weapon.