Dec. 13, 2004
Katie Nelson
The Arizona Republic
Clipped to the belts of security officers along with guns and pepper spray, more Tasers are coming into Valley schools with police.
Law enforcement officials say stun guns are a necessary addition to their potential means for subduing aggressive people, including students.
At least five Valley districts deploy Taser-armed school resource officers in middle schools and high schools. If Tempe police get funding from the City Council next week, their nine school resource officers will be the next to join them.
advertisement
"Especially dealing with children, the more options we can give our officers other than having to go to using deadly force is a win for everyone," said Sgt. Mike Horn, who oversees the Tempe's resource officer program.
In Phoenix Union, Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and Glendale schools, resource officers at times wear full uniform, including their weapons. Sworn officers typically carry at least one handgun, pepper spray, a baton and handcuffs.
"They are police officers first, an SRO (school resource officer) second," Officer Mike Pena, Glendale police spokesman, said of the district's 12 such officers. "They need to have the tools that everyone else has."
Glendale school resource officers started carrying Tasers four months ago when the weapons were issued to the rest of the department. So far, a Taser never has been used on Glendale school grounds. No other districts reported their use, either.
Tempe's City Council is to vote Thursday on a $180,090 purchase of 170 new X26 Tasers, said Sgt. Noah Johnson, who is overseeing the effort.
In October, Miami officers used a Taser on a 6-year-old boy after he threatened to cut himself with a piece of glass. A month later, another was used on a 12-year-old girl in Miami as she fled police while skipping school.
The public outcry about these incidents has prompted Tempe police to meet today with district administrators in an attempt to address questions and concerns of school staff and parents, Horn said.
Paul Novak, who oversees safety for the Tempe Elementary School District, met with Horn and Johnson on Wednesday. The district's four middle schools have school resource officers.
The meeting was reassuring, Novak said.
"It passes the common-sense test," he said.
During their meeting today with police, Tempe Union high school principals hope to learn more about Tasers, said Steve Adolph, associate superintendent.
Adolph said he trusts the Police Department's decision.
"We don't really tell the police how to do their job, any more than they tell us how to teach math," Adolph said. "If they believe this is the right choice, I'm sure they have research to prove it."
Parents reacted similarly.
"You figure you trust them to carry a gun, so I would have to hope that the use of a Taser wouldn't ever be taken lightly by anybody, either, and its use would be reserved for a truly threatening occasion," said Sue Knudson, who has two sons at Marcos de Niza High School.
Tempe police say their certification program is designed to ensure just that. Department policy says a Taser can be used only if someone is "actively aggressive."
Taser International, the Scottsdale-based company that distributes the stun guns, said that about 5,500 agencies have purchased its weapons. Of those, more than 30 percent furnish Tasers to school resource officers.
Tempe Detective Gary Duplissis has been working at Corona Del Sol High School for five years. He never has had to use his gun, pepper spray or baton during that time, he said, but he still favors having a Taser as another option.
"If a student is attacking another student, or a student is attacking a staff member or teacher, what my thoughts are is, 'Give me every tool that I could use, so that way I can have the highest percentage of success, without doing any unnecessary harm,' " he said.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1213schooltaser13.html