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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 12:11 p.m., Wednesday, May 26, 2004

HPD’s new Taser guns within hours of issue

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Honolulu Police Department’s newest weapons, Taser guns that can deliver a 25,000-volt jolt of electricity, were used four times in the first 72 hours after they were issued.

Tasers were handed out Friday to some night-operations patrol officers, who were trained in the use of the weapon, in the metropolitan Honolulu district as part of a federally funded six-month pilot program. Some officers in the headquarters cellblock also are qualified to carry Tasers.

Stephen Watarai, assistant chief in charge of the central patrol district, said officers followed the department’s "escalation of force" policy governing the use of Tasers. He said none of the suspects was injured.

"The feedback (from officers) was very favorable," Watarai said today.

Tasers were used in confrontational situations in which officers otherwise would have had to physically subdue suspects, Watarai said.

The first case where a Taser was used occurred Friday at 2:56 a.m. at Pohukaina and Koula streets in Kaka'ako.

A police report said officers were sent to break up a fight involving several women. The Taser was used on a woman who continued to be disorderly despite efforts by companions to calm her down, police said.

A Taser also was used twice on Saturday at Aloha Tower Marketplace.

One of the incidents involved a 1:50 a.m. brawl among 20 people at Pier 7. Police broke up the fight, using a Taser on one man.

On Sunday, an officer used his Taser on a drunken driver who had tried to flee after being involved in a traffic accident at Hotel and Maunakea streets at 10:30 p.m.

In all cases, the Tasers’ electrical probes were removed from suspects by trained medics and suspects were examined at hospitals.

"As soon as the Tasers were deployed, the suspects surrendered," police Maj. Michael Tucker said. "We’re very pleased with the results."

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.