Douglas County Sheriff’s officers, thanks to a $10,000 federal grant, will soon be carrying some new weapons that look like the pistols that used to show up in B-grade science fiction movies.

The department is joining a growing number of law enforcement agencies that have adopted the Taser, an electric stun gun, as a nonlethal option for disabling disorderly suspects.

The Taser will join a department weapons lineup that includes a pepper spray canister, baton and 9 mm pistol.

“The long-range goal is for everybody working court security and everybody on patrol to have one,” Sheriff’s Lt. Don Crowe said.

Initially, however, the department will purchase three of the X26 Tasers, an improved version of the first Taser marketed to law enforcement agencies in 1999.

The weapon, which looks like a bizarre pistol you might see in an old science fiction movie, is made by Taser International in Scottsdale, Ariz. It costs a little more than $800.

The department’s three Tasers will be carried by supervisors in court security and patrol, as well as a supervisor at the Douglas County Jail, Crowe said.

The sheriff’s office also is purchasing three FN 303 pellet guns, which fire a plastic pellet to disable someone or a pellet that carries the liquid version of pepper spray, Crowe said. They also can be used to fire a pellet that breaks open and marks a suspect with a colored dye, similar to a paintball gun, he said.

“This is something that would be used mainly for crowd control,” Crowe said.

An FN 303 also would be available for use by patrol, court security and jail officers, though they probably wouldn’t be carried with the other weapons, Crowe said.

“It looks like an old Tommy gun,” Crowe said of the weapon, which costs about $900 and is made by FNH USA Inc., McLean, Va.

The grant money to pay for the weapons came from a Local Law Enforcement Block Grant, Crowe said. The weapons are expected to be received later this month. In addition to purchasing the weapons, the grant will pay for the supplies the weapons require.

Two officers have already received training and will conduct the training of other department officers on how to use the weapons. The training should be completed by March, Crowe said.

A Taser can be used on a person by pulling a trigger after making direct contact with a person, or by shooting out two wire prongs that latch onto a person. The wires can reach about 20 feet.

Federal grant to update law enforcement efforts (8-22-02) Taser International Inc.

The X26 Taser uses five watts of electricity to disable someone, by causing “electro-muscular disruption.” In other words, a suspect falls to the ground paralyzed. The effect wears off after a few seconds.

A Taser is more effective than pepper spray on some people who are high on drugs, Crowe said. It takes about 20 minutes for the effects of pepper spray to wear off.

Tasers have already been in use by several regional police and sheriffs’ departments, including Topeka and Olathe police departments. Spokesmen for both agencies said officers were pleased with the weapon.

“It gives us another alternative before we have to hurt people,” Topeka Police Lt. Randy Listrom said. “With the Taser, once you’re done with the 5-second ride, you’re down. There are no aftereffects.”

Olathe Police Sgt. Greg O’Halloran has had the Taser used on him, as have most officers who have been trained in their use.

“It’s extremely effective,” O’Halloran said.

The Taser is safe for use even on someone who has a heart pacemaker or who may be standing in water, O’Halloran said.

Olathe Police have seven Tasers and they are carried by patrol sergeants, O’Halloran said. Tasers are carried by at least 20 Topeka officers, Listrom said.

Since they started carrying Tasers early last summer, Olathe officers have pulled out the weapons 17 times but have only had to use them twice, O’Halloran said. In 15 of the cases the threat of seeing the Taser or hearing an officer explain what it would do was enough to convince the suspects to surrender, O’Halloran said.

“They’ve been a very valuable tool for us so far,” he said.