Simi police officers to carry Tasers

FUTURE OF CRIME FIGHTING-The Taser Model X26, the most advanced version of the Taser gun on the market, will soon be issued to all Simi Valley Police Department officers. The Simi Valley Police Department is adding a nonlethal weapon to its standard arsenal.

Beginning this fall, all of Simi's sworn officers will receive as standard issue a Taser model X26E, considered stateof-the-art among Taser devices.

According to Detective Tony Anzilotti, SVPD's defensive tactics lead trainer, the Taser will give officers in the field another nonlethal option to go along with their baton and pepper spray, two items that lack the range and stopping power of the modern-day stun gun.

"The Taser allows an officer to use nonlethal force from up to 25 feet away-and it's readily available, it goes right on their belt with the rest of their tools," Anzilotti said.

"Other nonlethal or less-lethal weapons systems we have are only deployed when we know what kind of situation we are going into."

The Taser X26E is held like a pistol and fires two dart-like probes that embed themselves in the target's skin. An instant electrical charge of 50,000 volts, sent via metal wires from the device to the body, lasts for five seconds or less depending on the control of the officer.

The shock directly stimulates motor nerve and muscle tissue, Anzilotti said, causing incapacitation regardless of a person's size, stamina, training or possible drug-induced dementia.

"If you're a pretty tough guy, you might be able to stand there and take a punch-but (a Taser) is going to cause you to fall to the ground 99 percent of the time," said Anzilotti, who's been with the SVPD for 22 years.

The momentary incapacitation allows officers to gain the upper hand and an opportunity to apply handcuffs.

Officers in training who've volunteered to be shocked by the device liken the pain to being struck with a baseball bat, Anzilotti said. But once the shock is delivered, the resulting pain goes away quickly.

"As soon as the charge is stopped, you almost instantly return to normal, whereas with pepper spray, it takes someone at least 20 minutes to see and breathe normally," Anzilotti said.

"There's no medical attention required except that the two probes need to be removed by qualified medical personnel."

Other advantages over pepper spray include a decreased likelihood that an innocent bystander or a fellow officer could be harmed, and increased effectiveness on windy days.

According to Anzilotti, the only people who have died after being struck with a Taser were under the influence of a drug, such as crystal meth, that elevated the heart rate.

The worst-case scenario, he said, would be if the sharp probes were to hit a person in the eye, which he said is unlikely because officers are trained to fire the stun gun at the largest part of the body.

"It really depends on how the suspect falls as to what secondary injuries may occur," the detective said.

"The electrical charge is less than what's in a defibrillator.

"Many medical studies have shown (the Taser) doesn't cause any heart arrhythmia."

Though Taser guns have been available to law enforcement for more than 20 years, Anzilotti said the department felt like now was the right time to make a purchase. Law enforcement agencies in Ventura County already using Taser systems include police departments in Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula and Ventura. The Ventura County Sheriff 's Department plans to implement a Taser program in January 2007.

"The Taser has evolved quite a bit since it was mentioned during the Rodney King incident . . . it's become a much smaller, effective and versatile (device)," Anzilotti said.

"Plus, they've come down in price. It's become a very viable tool for law enforcement."

The 125 Taser systems- which include holsters, batteries, etc.-are costing the department just under $130,000, or about $1,040 per system.

Ironically, because the Taser systems were approved as a part of the Forfeited Assets budget, that bill is being paid for by criminals themselves.

"(The Forfeited Assets Fund) are assets that are seized typically from narcotics dealers," said Lt. Gordon Weeks.

"If funds we seize during an investigation are proven to be proceeds from unlawful narcotic sales, then those are forfeited, and a percentage of those funds goes back to the agencies in volved."

Much of the money comes from work Simi Valley police do in cooperation with the FBI, Weeks said.

"It's pretty cool because these Tasers are coming at no cost to the taxpayer," Weeks added.

The SVPD expects to receive the Taser systems "sometime next week."

Anzilotti and the department will spend the rest of the summer training officers on how to properly operate the device.

The longtime cop said he expects most of the department's officers to welcome the new technology with open arms.

"The only complaint I've heard," Anzilotti said, "is, 'Where are we going to put this on our belts?'"

Current police-issue utility belts already contain one fire

arm and two spare magazines, some type of baton, a radio, a flashlight, at least one set of handcuffs, a utility tool and pepper spray.

"We carry a lot. The belt weighs at least 15 or 20 pounds," Anzilotti said.

Weeks, who has been with the Simi Valley Police Department for nearly 30 years, said that even though physical altercations between police officers and citizens in Simi are rare, they do happen.

When incidents do occur, he's sure the officers' new Tasers will come in handy.

"We're hoping this device will prevent a lot of those incidents, as well as make things safer for the suspect, and safer for the officer," Weeks said. +     The total cost of the 125 Tasers is $130,000. +     Tasers are already being sed by

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. +     The city estimates $76,500 in annal savings becase the Taser is less likely to case injry.