Officer Cornell

Oldham County Police Department
 

Lieutenant Way

Oldham County Police Receive Taser Weapons

In an effort to increase officer safety and suspect compliance, the Oldham County Police Department will begin training its patrol officers in the use of TASER X-26 electro-muscular disruption tools.  This device will allow officers to maintain a safe reactionary gap between themselves and a violent suspect, while still being able to establish control.  The desired result will be less likelihood of injury to both police officers and the suspects who resist.  Additionally, in some instances, it could lessen the need for the application of deadly force, thereby saving lives.

The TASER X-26 is a single shot weapon which will be utilized in the Oldham County Police Department’s less lethal arsenal, which also includes the pepper spray and pepper ball munitions.

TASERS are smaller than a hand gun and stun unruly subjects so officers can handle situations safely.   The TASER X-26 works by sending electrical pulsed energy from probes that are air-propelled from the officer’s hand unit into the suspect, effectively incapacitating the person with minimal injury potential to the officer and the suspect.

Oldham County Police Officers will begin carrying the TASER X-26 weapons in July, after receiving extensive training on their use.  Officers will take classes on handling the TASERS and on various legal issues involving their use.  Each officer will be required to pass written and operations tests before they are certified to carry the TASERS.  Officers will also experience first-hand the effects of a TASER shock, which temporarily incapacitates the subject, by volunteering to be subjected to TASER shock as part of the training.

The TASER X-26 has a data port function that stores the time and date the weapon was fired.  It also stores 1,500 of its most recent firings including the duration of each discharge.  A computer chip in each TASER records its uses.  

With one more Less Lethal Option now available, the Oldham County Police Department is committed to equip all uniformed officers with the TASER X-26 in hopes of giving the agency one more tool in the use of force continuum before deadly force.  The TASER system will reduce injuries to officers and suspects.

With TASERS, our officers can safely and effectively respond to a greater range of situations, which contributes to a safer community for the residents of Oldham County.   The training sessions in July will include the LaGrange Police Department, using three TASER devices loaned to them by the Oldham County Police.  LaGrange Police eventually hope to budget for their own inventory of TASER devices sometime in the near future.

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