DUI task force donates money for new tasers

Polson police officers never know if they will face escalating violence when they arrive on the scene of an emergency call.  So to carry 14-year-old taser systems whose maker is phasing the antiquated technology out of existence is a problem.

But Jill Campbell, representative of the Lake County Drug Enforcement Task Force, presented Polson Police Department Corporal George W. Simpson with a solution to the aging issue Feb. 26 when she presented an $11,568.97 check the department will use to help pay for a dozen new tasers. 

The gift, acquired through a DUI Task Force grant entitled Smarter Weapons for Safer Streets, will help pay for the department to purchase “the newest smart weapon technology.” 

“The use of this new electrical smart weapon will continue to help minimize the risk to officers while remaining safe for impaired individuals as well,” Simpson, who authored the grant application said. Those suspected to be driving while under the influence are in an altered state of mind when dealing with the people around them.

“Sometimes the situation turns violent and the officer’s response to the intoxicated person’s use of force is increased,” Simpson said in his grant application. 

Before deploying the taser or taking any other reactionary stance to a potential suspects’ actions, police assess the incident and take situational factors into consideration.

“It is the policy of the Polson Police Office to allow officers to use only that degree of force which is reasonable and necessary to effect an arrest, or to protect themselves or others from personal attack, physical resistance, harm or death,” the grant said.

During October 2015 in Polson, officer deployment of tasers occurred in two incidents.

“The tased suspect in both incidents were under the influence of alcohol and one was also believed to be under the influence of methamphetamine,” the grant said. “The individual solely under the influence of alcohol was in a gas station parking lot, physically assaulting a sober individual for not allowing him to drive drunk. The alcohol/methamphetamine-impaired individual was physically assaulting a police officer while other law enforcement was attempting to shut down an underage house party.”

Simpson said the newly purchased tasers have a two-shot option for increased effectiveness: can deploy warning arcs to deter a suspect’s behavior: can calibrate the charge delivered to the suspect and capture data for diagnostic and analytical purposes.

The taser also automatically deploys an officer’s on-body video camera.

To complete the taser purchase process, the Polson Police Department needs to buy one dozen tasers, battery packs, holsters, cartridges and training aids to certify the officers on the new equipment. 

Of the $12,362.28 overall cost, the DUI task force grant paid for $11,568.97. Campbell said the drug task force gets $100 of every collected $200 Drug Enforcement Task Force fine that it uses to supply police departments with items necessary to continue keeping the community safe. Simpson said the police department is grateful for the donation.