Shocked by the shot
Toolbox
By ALAN J. KEAYS Staff Writer - Published: January 15, 2006
My hands were sweating and I'm told my face turned extremely pale moments before I endured my most painful experience yet as a reporter.
Officer Steve Dechen, who works with the Castleton and Fair Haven police departments, was standing on one side of me holding my arm while Dennis Coughlin of the Castleton Police Department held my other arm.
I had volunteered to take a 50,000-volt hit from a Taser (called by its maker a "conducted energy" weapon) for a story on the training police officers undergo as part of learning how to use the device. About 10 officers had also agreed to take a shot from the Taser as part of the training.
I volunteered to go first. If I didn't go first, I'm sure I would have backed out after watching the reaction of others subjected to the electric blast.
I stood anxiously inside the Fair Haven police station with the two officers ready to catch me if I fell and Jeff Delnaro, a Ludlow policeman and a Taser instructor, about 10 feet behind me.
For this demonstration, Delnaro had already placed on the back of my shirt the two probes connected by copper wiring to the Taser he held in his hand. (In actual use, the offender would be targeted and the weapon would send the wires through the air and onto his body, where it would deliver the disabling shock.)
A thought briefly passed through my mind that it wouldn't be that bad. It would all be over soon. My stomach was churning. I'm not sure if it was nerves or because I hadn't eaten all day.
All that remained was pulling the trigger. Delnaro told me he would repeat the same word three times and activate the device.
Then, he followed through.
He yelled, "Taser. Taser. Taser." Or so I'm told.
I don't really remember the last two times he said the word.
Taking the jolt, my knees gave out and the quick blast felt like it lasted 10 minutes.
All I could see was red, and the pain was like an extreme migraine headache and how I imagine a whack in the back with a baseball bat would feel.
The two officers at my side kept me from hitting the ground.
Within a second or two I was walking on my own. I actually couldn't believe it, after the pain I felt, that I was back on my feet and moving around the room so quickly.
I then watched a video of the episode shot by another officer in the room.
It wasn't pretty.
I don't remember many of my reactions shown on the tape, from my head flailing back and mouth opening to scream.
But I know I'm not doing that again.
Contact Alan J. Keays at alan.keays@rutlandherald.com.
36