Cops and civil rights groups talk tasers at evening forum.

One would be hard pressed to find a job where right-of-passage requirements include an intense 50,000-volt jolt, followed by a complete and temporary loss of neuromuscular function and motor skills. Unless one’s a cop, that is.

“It feels like a big, giant muscle cramp. It freezes you, basically,” says Lt. Rick Janicki, an officer with the Marina Department of Public Safety, adding most officers opt for the full-five second dose rather than the abbreviated, shorter shock.

Following a highly charged meeting last month between Seaside police, the NAACP and members of the community, the debate on taser gun use in Monterey County is far from finished. At 7pm, April 21, police officials, civil rights groups and concerned citizens will have another opportunity to discuss whether this type of law enforcement should continue in Monterey County at an open forum at the Monterey College of Law.

Marking the opening of the Mandell-Gisnet Center for Conflict Management at the law school, Thursday night’s dialogue will provide information on policies, protocols and community concerns on this controversial law enforcement tool.

“Is [taser gun use] good for the community or is it something that needs to be examined further?” asks William Monning, moderator of the event, and director of the Center for Conflict Management. “We’ll get to hear both sides of the argument.”

After two highly-publicized fatalities involving taser guns in Monterey County, and more than 70 deaths of individuals in police custody nationwide, an open conversation dialogue about this issue has become increasingly important, Monning says.

Michael Rosa died after Seaside police used a taser gun on him last August, and Robert Heston died after being stunned six times by Salinas police in February.

The panel will include Monterey County Sheriff Mike Kanalakis, Seaside Police Chief Tony Sollecito, Marina Police Chief Lee Drummond, CSU Monterey Bay Police Chief Fred Hardee, Monterey branch NAACP President Mel Mason, ACLU of Monterey County attorney Sue Sutton, League of United Latin American Citizens Monterey Council President Maria Buell and Civil Rights Coalition of Monterey County member William Zeigler.

Monning said the forum will not be a debate but rather a chance to share information and discuss alternatives.

“Each speaker will get eight to 10 minutes to talk, and tasers will be on-hand,” he said.

Sollecito says he sees no reason to discontinue the use of taser guns in the county.

“The purpose is to get control of the individual before they do harm to themselves or an officer,” he says. “[Taser victims] recover, but they recover weaker.”

Taser devices utilize compressed nitrogen to project two small barbed probes up to 25 feet at a speed of more than 160 feet per second. The probes are connected to the taser device by insulated wire. An electrical signal is transmitted through the wires to the point of contact with a person’s body or clothes, resulting in an immediate loss of coordination and neuromuscular control for the duration of the 50,000-volt, five-second shock.

The weapon can also be applied without the use of probes, as “touch” stun guns.

“Tasers have saved lives,” Sollecito continues. “There are cases where tasers have saved lives here in Seaside. If we didn’t have a taser, we would have had to use lethal force.”

Seaside was the first city in Monterey County to start using tasers as part of their arsenal three years ago. During the last three years, however, records show the guns having been fired only eight times.

“We rotate our 14 devices between our 43 sworn, full-time officers and eight sworn reserves,” Sollecito says. “Our goal is to have enough for each officer to have their own.”

Lt. Janicki said the policy for taser gun use in his Marina department is extensive and pays close attention to detail.

“[Tasers] shall only be used if physical force is needed, and shall not be used against noncombative persons,” Janicki says.

Marina police only have five tasers available for their 32-officer unit. “It’s all we need for our size of department,” he says.

As part of their taser gun training, Marina officers are required to undergo “taser application,” Janicki says. “We want them to be able to feel what it feels like and be able to describe it.”

“Tasers have a place in law enforcement as tools,” says CSUMB’s Hardee.

But not everyone is convinced. Zeigler says he’s concerned about the subjectivity of police policy jargon.

“What is justifiable force or aggressive behavior?” he asks. “How do we interpret aggressive behavior? We want their policy on record.” Zeigler said he worries about police abuse from officers with both good and bad intentions.

“Sometimes they’re so worried about getting home in one piece they overreact,” he said. “Tasers only fire one time but they don’t tell you it shocks multiple times until you take your finger off the trigger.”

Zeigler admits, however, when it comes to taser use, he hasn’t “heard of any instances of really bad judgment. Perhaps it’s a good weapon if you consider the alternative.”

The policy dialogue on police use of taser guns will be held at the Monterey College of Law April 21 from 7-9pm. Public comment and question period will be included. Admission is free and open to the public; seating is limited. Call 373-3301 to reserve a seat.