[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office wants Tasers for deputies

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office wants Tasers for deputies

Published: Friday, November 05, 2010, 5:52 PM     
Updated: Friday, November 05, 2010, 5:55 PM

 Bob Warren, The Times-Picayune 

Spurred in part by a shoplifting suspect's choke hold on a deputy last
spring, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office said it wants to equip all
deputies on the street with Tasers within the next year.

A number of law enforcement agencies across the metro region already use
Tasers, which transmit 50,000 volts of electricity to disable subjects. In
St. Bernard Parish they have mostly been used by members of the SWAT unit.

Chief Deputy Sheriff James Pohlmann said the Tasers will give deputies
another option besides using deadly force.

"This is a tool we can put between our pepper spray and deadly force,'' he
said.

The Sheriff's Office has 20 Tasers currently on hand and hopes to have the
approximately 100 members of its enforcement section outfitted within a
year. The Tasers cost around $800 each, and the Sheriff's Office is
currently researching grants to help offset the cost.

"If we can't get grants, we'll start carving out money from our budget,''
Pohlmann said. But, he added, "You've got so many other things to cover in
the budget.''

Pohlmann said businesses or individuals can also donate Tasers to the
Sheriff's Office.

Pohlmann said the decision to outfit deputies with the weapons was
solidified after a chase last spring in which St. Bernard deputies pursued
some shoplifting suspects from Chalmette into New Orleans, where one of the
suspects began fighting with a deputy and had him in a chokehold before
other deputies could intervene and subdue the suspect.

"At that point we had to make a decision,'' Pohlmann said.

Use of Tasers has been criticized by some human rights groups, but the
disabling devices have widespread support in the law enforcement community.

"I know Tasers don't come without controversy,'' Pohlmann said. "But it's
proven that the risk of bodily harm is outweighed by the benefits.''

Pohlmann said the deputies would be trained and certified in the use of
Tasers.

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