The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office hopes a revamped “use of force” policy will help deputies avoid problems and controversies other law enforcement agencies have faced over the use of Taser electronic stun guns.

Last spring the department purchased several Tasers but delayed giving them out to officers until a policy was written about when and how to use them as well as other standard weapons. Training in Taser use also needs to be conducted, Sheriff Rick Trapp said.

“We’re working as hard as we can on this,” Trapp said. “The training is going to start pretty quick.”

Tasers have come under fire in some areas of the country where their use has become controversial. Earlier this month a man died in Fort Worth, Texas, after he was hit with an electrified dart fired from a Taser. It was the third death in Texas from use of a Taser.

In Florida, Miami-Dade County Police are reviewing their Taser policies because of recent incidents involving the use of Tasers on children. One incident involved a Taser used on a truant schoolgirl who ran from police. An officer said he fired the Taser after the 12-year-old started to run into traffic.

In another incident, a Miami-Dade officer used a Taser to stop a 6-year-old from harming himself with a piece of broken glass.

Closer to home, Kansas City, Mo., Police last summer were criticized by some for using a Taser on a grandmother who was giving officers a hard time.

“If somebody is verbally abusing an officer — which happens a lot — a response with a Taser is not appropriate,” Trapp said.

As for using a Taser on children, Trapp said he couldn’t imagine that being necessary unless it was a last resort to save a life.

Sheriff’s officers will operate under a policy that calls for use of a Taser only if an individual poses a danger to an officer, another person or the individual himself, Trapp said. A Taser also would not be used if a lesser form of force was a reasonable option.

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“Unless a child had a weapon, I can’t see how a child or elderly person could not be subdued in another manner,” Trapp said. “It’s not going to be used to bring unruly but not physically threatening people under control.”

At the same time, Trapp noted, there will always be unique circumstances, and the final decision to use a Taser, gun or any other weapon will be up to the officer handling the situation.

A Taser, which looks similar to a ray gun from an old grade-B science fiction movie, emits 50,000 volts of electricity. It temporarily immobilizes a person and has been touted as safe even if used on someone with a heart pacemaker.

A Taser can be used two ways. It can be placed directly against someone or a wired dart can be shot out to latch onto someone up to 21 feet away.

“For years law enforcement has been called on to come up with something not as lethal, or something short of a firearm, and the Taser is the best thing we have right now,” Trapp said.

Lawrence Police also have expressed interest in obtaining Tasers, but plans are on hold until the department has the funding, said Sgt. Dan Ward, police spokesman.