For officers, Tasers a shocking experience

A select few employees at McMinnville Police Department are currently carrying Tasers. However, the privilege didn’t come without an electrifying moment at the hands of Warren County Sheriff’s Department.

Before officers are allowed to carry one of four Tasers currently owned by the police department, they are required to undergo a training session. The session, conducted by Warren County Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Jody Cavanaugh, includes verbal instruction, videos, and practice shots.

As part of the training, the company that makes Tasers recommends that officers be tased. Being tased will make sure each officer understands the effects of the Taser.

‘They recommend it so you can understand what you are about to impose upon someone,’ said McMinnville Police Chief Charlie Sewell, who made the final decision to allow the officers to be tased. However, the officers were not forced and this part of the training was voluntary.

Uniform Division street supervisors were the first to take the training session and feel the effects Jan. 31. A second group comprised of patrol officers followed April 2.

For the tasing, officers sat on the floor with their backs against the wall and hands clasped together. Asking the officers to sit kept them from falling and injuring themselves.

Officers at each end of the line were given a Taser projectile to hold. When the shock was given, it ran through all the officers simultaneously for a second and a half.

Two officers, Bobby Hammond and Lani DeFore, volunteered to take a ‘full ride.’ As fellow officers flanked them to keep them from falling, they were tased in the back for five seconds.

According to Sewell, not one officer hesitated when the time came despite any personal hesitation they may have felt.

‘I think everybody dreaded it,’ he said. ‘When it came time for each one of the classes, no one balked. We have an outstanding group of men and women within the McMinnville Police Department. I’m very proud to be associated with this professional group. I was also very proud that no one balked.’

Himself included. Although Chief Sewell, Capt. Mike Lane, and Major Bryan Denton will not be carrying Tasers, they held hands with the other officers and were tased.

According to Sewell, the officers who were shocked together recovered almost instantly, and the two ‘full ride’ officers recovered in a short time. As for himself, Sewell drove from McMinnville to Nashville immediately following the session.

There were some who were not tased, including civilians who work at the department, department detectives, and a pregnant officer. Because civilians and detectives will not carry a Taser, they were not asked to attend the training session and undergo tasing.

According to Sewell, some of the officers have told him they now have more appreciation for what the Taser can do. Because of this, he expects the policy on Taser use to be followed to the letter.

‘The purpose of the new tool is to protect people and ourselves,’ said Sewell. ‘We want to go home at the end of the day just like everybody else. This gives us another tool to use so we don’t have to hurt people. In the case where the officers got hurt, the only other tool was a gun and we would rather not use that. We are trying to get people to comply with lawful orders and law-abiding citizens don’t have to worry about it.’