Oxford Officers Regain Their Tasers after Two Years

It has been two years since the accidental death of a drunken, aggressive man, but police officers in Oxford have just been given back their TASERs. Until last week, only supervisors were allowed to carry the devices while the department considered changes to usage guidelines.

The entire department has been undergoing retraining on the weapon’s use since the new guidelines were approved.

The Incident that Triggered it All
When visiting Oxford, a young man got drunk and became involved in a fight at a bar. When the police were called in the man refused to stop fighting and was Tased, after the policeman issued the standard warning cry, “TASER! TASER! TASER!” Although taken to the hospital for treatment, the man died five days later.

The County Coroner ruled that the death was caused by a combination of circumstances: acute intoxication, physical exertion and the jolt received from the TASER. Departmental investigators found that the officer acted properly.

New Guidelines for Use
In order to reduce the likelihood of such an incident occurring again, new usage guidelines have been set. TASERs are not to be used on individuals who are highly intoxicated. The weapon is to be aimed away from the chest.

TASERs work anywhere on the body and avoiding the heart area is a wise precaution.

Even with the new guidelines, the officer involved in the incident would have been well within boundaries for appropriate use. The only difference would have been where the weapon was aimed. In this particular situation, it may have made a difference.

Officers are Relieved
Officers are trained not to pull out there firearm unless they feel they must use it. The return of their TASERs means that the officers of the Oxford Police Department have another option when confronting potentially dangerous individuals.

While it is certainly unfortunate that someone died in this situation, the TASER provided the officer with a safer way to restrain the alleged perpetrator without endangering the rest of the crowd.