MOUNT VERNON — Knox County Sheriff David Shaffer has announced that the use of Taser units has expanded from those working in the jail to the patrol officers.
Equipping officers with Taser units gives them another use of force option. Before they are allowed to carry the units, the officers must receive specialized training in the use of the unit as well as agency policy and procedure. Each Taser is equipped with audio and a high definition camera that records information anytime the unit is activated. It uses a replaceable cartridge to deploy two small probes that are attached to the handheld unit with insulated conductive wires. The Taser is designed to affect the sensory and motor functions of the peripheral nervous system and cause incapacitation. This is different from other pain compliance force options such as pepper spray or hands on control. The Taser is not meant to replace firearms, but may be used to de-escalate dangerous incidents to prevent the situation from developing to the point where lethal force could occur. We believe the Taser is a tool that, at times can be used in place of physically grappling with a suspect. The goal is to make encounters safer for the officer, the public, and the suspect.
The ability to provide officers with the Tasers, and training supplies would not have been possible without the generous assistance from local businesses. Over $17,000 were received from businesses that included Ariel Corporation, Decosky Dealerships, Prestress Services Industries, Smalls Sand and Gravel, United Aggregates, and United Precast Industries. The villages of Centerburg and Gambier each purchased units for the officers assigned to their areas. Shaffer thanked those businesses as well as others for their support to law enforcement and the community.
