2008 Woodie Awards
Campus police appear to be justified in their use of Taser
Jim Leusner and Katie Fretland
Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: News
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - It wasn't pretty, but it may have been justifiable.
The force used to subdue a University of Florida student with a Taser weapon at a Monday night forum with former presidential candidate John Kerry appears to conform to university police guidelines, a review of the policy shows.
The agency's policy resembles those of other agencies in stating that officers should use the amount of non-deadly force "that is reasonably necessary to protect officers or others from harm or to effect the lawful arrest of an individual."
At the same time, the videotaped event continues to spark outrage on the Gainesville campus and across the country. More than 1 million viewers had viewed video of the arrest on YouTube.com by Wednesday evening, and the controversy sparked new student protests on campus and calls for an end to Tasers on campus.
About 50 students marched in the rain Wednesday carrying signs reading "Taser pigs" and "No police state." They also filed grievances against the officers involved in the arrest of Andrew Meyer, 21, of Weston, Fla..
"They banned speech in the halls of education," said 20-year-old Benjamin Dictor, a junior political science major. "It is unacceptable."
The police department was deluged with callers and e-mailers, most of them accusing police of brutality and censorship. Capt. Jeff Holcomb said he has gotten calls from as far away as England.
Six officers were involved in the arrest. University police officials have placed two on administrative leave pending an independent investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Meyer was shocked with a Taser after event organizers asked police to remove him when he continued to heckle the senator and struggled repeatedly with officers trying to remove him from a university auditorium.
He was charged with resisting an officer with violence, a felony, and disturbing the peace by interfering with school administration functions, a misdemeanor.
University Police Lt. Alton McDilda, who runs the department's training program, said force guidelines are based on a suspect's behavior.
The force used to subdue a University of Florida student with a Taser weapon at a Monday night forum with former presidential candidate John Kerry appears to conform to university police guidelines, a review of the policy shows.
The agency's policy resembles those of other agencies in stating that officers should use the amount of non-deadly force "that is reasonably necessary to protect officers or others from harm or to effect the lawful arrest of an individual."
At the same time, the videotaped event continues to spark outrage on the Gainesville campus and across the country. More than 1 million viewers had viewed video of the arrest on YouTube.com by Wednesday evening, and the controversy sparked new student protests on campus and calls for an end to Tasers on campus.
About 50 students marched in the rain Wednesday carrying signs reading "Taser pigs" and "No police state." They also filed grievances against the officers involved in the arrest of Andrew Meyer, 21, of Weston, Fla..
"They banned speech in the halls of education," said 20-year-old Benjamin Dictor, a junior political science major. "It is unacceptable."
The police department was deluged with callers and e-mailers, most of them accusing police of brutality and censorship. Capt. Jeff Holcomb said he has gotten calls from as far away as England.
Six officers were involved in the arrest. University police officials have placed two on administrative leave pending an independent investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Meyer was shocked with a Taser after event organizers asked police to remove him when he continued to heckle the senator and struggled repeatedly with officers trying to remove him from a university auditorium.
He was charged with resisting an officer with violence, a felony, and disturbing the peace by interfering with school administration functions, a misdemeanor.
University Police Lt. Alton McDilda, who runs the department's training program, said force guidelines are based on a suspect's behavior.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Tom
posted 10/13/07 @ 3:40 AM MST
"It wasn't pretty, but it may have been justifiable.
The force used to subdue a University of Florida student with a Taser weapon at a Monday night forum with former presidential candidate John Kerry appears to conform to university police guidelines, a review of the policy shows. (Continued…)
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