Taser report in Amherst police chief’s hands

November 3, 2008
DARRELL COLE, Amherst Daily News

AMHERST – A review of police activities during the Tasering of an Amherst man in diabetic shock, is in the hands of Amherst’s police chief. "The investigation is complete and I received the report on Monday. I’ve read through it once briefly, but I'd really like to study it to ensure that any of the comments and recommendations contained in it are valid,” chief Charles Rushton said Friday.

Rushton said it will likely be several weeks before he’s in a position to comment on its findings and recommendations, adding that one of the things he wants to do is compare the review’s findings with that of other incidents involving energy weapons. "It’s probably going to take another two to three weeks,” he said.

The chief has the option of sending the report back to the investigators for further information if there’s anything he’s not clear on. It’s also likely he will discuss the report with the town’s board of police.

The chief would not comment on the findings, but said he’d be willing to discuss it once he has completed a thorough review of the report and its recommendations.

An unidentified Amherst woman complained last month after her 34-year-old husband was shocked by a police officer. Fearing for her husband’s safety after he went into diabetic shock, she called paramedics who in turn called police when the man became combative.

At the time of the incident, Naylor said, officers warned the man before he was touch-tased. Officers, he added, only used it as a last resort when the man kept breaking free. He said the officers were afraid he could become a danger to himself, the paramedics and the officers.