After reading reports that the Sanford Police Department had acquired the weapons, a Brunswick man who asked to remain anonymous approached Brunswick Police Chief Richard Rizzo in January and offered to buy one for the Brunswick force.
Rizzo said he believes Brunswick is only the second police department in Maine to use the weapon, which is based on a Mossberg 500 shotgun.
Brunswick police officers have carried handheld Tasers, in addition to service revolvers, since 2006.
The handheld Tasers shoot probes that deliver a 5-second charge — usually allowing officers enough time to subdue and, if necessary, handcuff a subject.
But the traditional Taser range is 15 to 20 feet — “way too close to be from somebody with a weapon,” Rizzo said.
The long-range Taser X12 Less Lethal Shotgun by Mossberg has a range of up to 100 feet, and shoots a shell that upon impact sends probes into the victim.
The probes give off the same charge as a standard Taser, but that charge lasts 20 seconds rather than 5.
The additional 15 seconds give officers longer to get to the person and subdue them before the effect of the Taser wears off.
“It’s definitely safer for the officer, and it can be safer for the distraught person,” he said.
“Most police-involved shootings in Maine, rather than being bank robbers, are people who have some emotional problems,” Rizzo said Thursday. “ They’re being very threatening, but if we can use more non- lethal means” to subdue them, it’s preferable.
In recent years, Brunswick police have responded to an increasing number of protective custody incidents, in which subjects are either suffering from mental illness or are intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
From 65 cases in 2008, the number of protective custody instances jumped to 162 the following year, and stayed at nearly that level or higher through 2011. So far in 2012, police have taken 18 individuals into protective custody in seven weeks, Deputy Chief Marc Hagan said Friday.
The bright yellow stock and barrel of the long- range Taser distinguishes it from lethal weapons, and a custom ammunition bolt prevents the weapon from deploying any lethal ammunition, according to product literature.
Training to use the longrange Taser is planned, according to Rizzo.
bbrogan@timesrecord.com
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