Stun Guns Allowed By Ohio Police Force

Police Chief John Grote of the Yellow Springs Police Department had long been opposed to the use of stun guns by the officers under his authority. Following an incident between a mentally unstable man and a lone officer during which both were injured, Grote is taking another look at his position.

The man involved was not only bigger than the officer, but he was also unstable and apparently unable to follow instructions issued by the officer. Instead of following directions and calming down, the man started whacking the officer with a poker, causing pain and injury. Even though police training instructs officers to aim for the largest mass to stop an attack, the officer aimed for – and hit – the assailant’s legs. Both participants in the fracas were treated for injuries at a local hospital.

Even though the officer acted appropriately, both he and the assailant both suffered emotional injuries in additional to the physical ones.
Emotional anguish for both parties was directly related to the use of deadly force – which could have ended in the loss of life.

Some of Grote’s objections lessened when he found that incidents of injury or death following the use of TASERs were “due to misuse of the tool and lack of policies restricting its use,” he said.

Grote went on to say, “It’s about using the least amount of force to facilitate an arrest and keeping the officers and assailants as safe as possible.”

Over the summer, the Yellow Springs “use of force continuum” was revised to include TASERs and the non lethal weapons were issued to officers beginning in August.