POLICE HOPE TASERS HELP REDUCE INJURIES.

Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY -- Both the Simi Valley Police Department and Ventura County Sheriff's Department are buying Taser electric-shock guns to reduce injuries and deaths from violent confrontations where firearms might not be required.

``We've had upwards of a half-dozen incidents over the last year in which an officer or a suspect was injured,'' Simi Valley police Lt. John McGinty said, noting that an officer was seriously injured recently while trying to arrest a belligerent drunk. ``We're hoping the Tasers will help prevent injuries to officers and suspects.''

The department is spending $129,900, plus $2,000 in training costs, to acquire Taser guns for all officers of the rank of sergeant or lower.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department purchased 500 in June after the county Board of Supervisors provided $485,000 to buy them and provide training.

Sheriff's Capt. Ron Nelson said obtaining the Taser devices is one of the resources his department has turned to following a series of shootings several years ago involving mentally disturbed people, including some bent on ``committing suicide by cop.'' The department started a Crisis Intervention Program and has trained more than 100 deputies to deal with the mentally ill, he said.

Deputies plan to use the Tasers to handle violent suspects in a way that doesn't lead to death or serious injury.

``We've had several instances where we felt the Taser would have been successful in bringing about an end to a violent encounter,'' he said. ``We believe with the Taser, the injuries wouldn't have been as serious.''

Taser devices fire darts that deliver 50,000 volts of electricity for five seconds to incapacitate people by causing a temporary loss of muscle control.

In mid-August, the Taser guns will be used by deputies assigned to the Fillmore and Moorpark patrol stations and the main jail in Ventura. Later, the Tasers will be issued to all other patrol deputies in the county.

More than 9,100 law enforcement and military agencies in 43 countries use Taser devices, according to Taser International. Both the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department use stun guns.

Still, critics say electric stun guns can result in death in some cases. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California said they feared the absence of strong regulations on how police use the weapons could result in unnecessary deaths, and Amnesty International has called for a moratorium on the use of stun guns.

According to the National Institute of Justice, 184 people have died after being subdued with electric stun guns manufactured by Taser and other companies since 1986. But in 154 of those cases, the stun guns apparently did not cause the deaths, the institute said, and in the remaining 30 cases, it was not clear whether the stun guns caused or just contributed to the deaths.

Taser International of Scottsdale, Ariz., is the largest maker of stun guns and said they have saved more than 9,000 lives because officers have been able to use them to control suspects instead of using firearms.

An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people were shocked by Tasers between 1998 and 2005 during law enforcement confrontations, according to The Associated Press.

Ventura County officials say all deputies will undergo training to prevent deaths.

``Research indicates that in most instances, use of the device is safe and actually minimizes the risk of death,'' sheriff's officials said in a prepared statement announcing plans to start using the devices. ``Our goal in every situation we encounter is to minimize the risk of injury and death to officers and the public.''

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

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