Davis voted Thursday against Barnes’ request for 10 Taser stun guns for his deputies.
The Board of Commissioners approved the request on 9-2 vote. Davis has had doubts about officers using stun guns for several years.
“This is an ongoing issue that has not been resolved,” said the High Point Democrat. “I can’t support this.”
Last week, Barnes joined two other law enforcement chiefs who told the Board of Education that stun guns are safe if properly used to subdue suspects and jail inmates. Patrol and detention officers carry the weapons. Several school board members have said they are concerned because the weapons can be lethal. Others support the careful use of the weapon.
“We need a study on the use of Tasers and we should eliminate them from the school system,” Democratic Commissioner Carolyn Coleman said to explain her negative vote.
Barnes needed the board’s approval to buy 10 weapons kits from the state’s only vendor, Lawmen’s Safety Supply Inc. of Raleigh. County policy calls for competitive bids when possible.
Barnes’ amended request showed a slight price adjustment to $24,494. Individual weapons that fit in a holster cost about $800. Barnes ordered the kits and a training suit to comply with training requirements for his deputies to use the Tasers.
Deputies have used the weapons four times in the last two years on school campuses. Stun guns disrupt the nervous system and cause muscles to contract. The 5-second, 50,000-volt shock causes a stunned person to “freeze up.” Many school – based officers also carry handcuffs, pepper spray, a metal baton and a .45 – caliber Glock pistol.
“The Taser is a life-saving tool,” Barnes said last week, “not a lethal weapon.”
dnivens@hpe.com|888-3626
TASERS
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Incident: A sheriff’s deputy used a Taser stun gun on a 15-year-old girl last year at Ragsdale High School after she threatened two faculty members and assaulted the officer, according to the Guilford County Sheriff’s office.
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