Officer sues Taser maker

Jen Lawson

Friday, Oct. 8, 2004 | 10:32 a.m.

A Metro Police officer is suing the company that makes Taser guns, alleging he suffered permanent shoulder and arm injuries after being shocked with one of the devices during a training session earlier this year.

The federal lawsuit, filed Aug. 19 by Chad Cook, alleges that Arizona-based Taser International does not fully warn about the possible dangers of the Advanced Taser M-26, the model Metro uses.

If Cook, 33, a Metro officer for nine years, had known of the alleged risk, he would not have agreed to get shocked, the suit says.

"Cook was told at the training session that the Taser was safe, (that) it could be used on heart patients, pregnant women and would only hurt for five seconds and injuries associated with the Taser were secondary injuries from the people falling," the lawsuit says.

It's not clear if Cook's injury was caused by the electricity or by a fall after being shocked. Neither Cook nor his attorneys could be reached.

Metro began equipping officers with Taser guns in April 2003. As part of the training, officers were encouraged to get "zapped." But the department stopped that practice earlier this year after several officers fell and were injured after being shot with the device.

Tasers send 50,000 volts of electricity, or 0.162 amps, through the body. Prongs attached to the device by wires can fired from 21 feet away from the suspect or the device can be held against the body.

Representatives of Taser International trained a number of Metro officers, who in turn trained other officers.

Taser International released a statement saying that the company "had no direct involvement in this training class, nor were there any representatives of Taser International present at the time.

"Medical experts have advised Taser International that the Taser electrical discharge will not cause the type of injury alleged by Mr. Cook," according to the statement.

Sgt. Chris Jones, a Metro spokesman, said the department does not comment on pending litigation, even though Metro is not a party to the suit. Cook is a patrol officer with the Southwest Area Command.

Metro officials are in the process of re-evaluating the department's training techniques in light of two deaths that have been linked to Tasers.