Friday, August 1, 2008

Very Shocking Experience!!!!

Today I attended Taser Training at the Topsham Police Department put on by Brunswick Police Department. The class was about six hours long. This was my first orientation and training in the non lethal electronic immobilization device. This device can save lives and reduce officer and suspect injuries! Myself and two of my part time Officers Doug and Andy Attended the training. To call the training shocking would be and under statement. Part of the class or practical you can be elected to be Tased. This helps the Officer understand the capability of the tool and gives the Officer credence if he has to testify about its use. There was a couple of ways to be shocked. I was one of three in the class of about 17 that elected to do the maximum. That mean you are shot in the back with the two 1" metal probes that are about 14" apart. The electrical current travels between two probes distributing about 1,200 volts through your muscular nervous system disrupting your T waves creating instant motor and sensory immobilization. The consistent shock last 5 seconds and then you are laying on your back with the equivalent of two barbed fish hooks in your back. Another student then pulls them out with a yank. The shock was one of the worst feelings in my life, just excruciating!. You absolutely loose full control depending on where the probes land. My muscles in my back and abdomen were just spasming with intense pain. I started to see stars and then the shock ended. They ripped the probes out and I was back on my feet. I had an Officer tape my experience but he did not record it properly and only caught the very beginning and the end. I have included a video of another classmate getting shocked with clips not being shot with probes to give you an idea. Word of caution you never want to be Tased so walk the straight and narrow path! I have been pepper sprayed about 7 times for training during my career with O.C and it's horrible! However the Taser experience is about 10 X the O.C experience. The recovery from Taser is quicker than O.C though. When I went home the girls confirmed the probes penetration of my shirt by the blood stains left on it! Do I want to get Tased again - No Way!

3 comments:

EmmaLee Robinson said...

It looks like it would hurt. Mark's dad had to do training like that a few years ago. It is not on my list of thing I want to do.

Cassie said...

Yikes!

The Drew Crew said...

I will be SO walking the straight and narrow John!!! That was so unbelievable. They just did that to someone in town the other day that was running from the police....now I can understand what it was all about!! Thanks for sharing your experience!