MONTPELIER, Vt. -
This wasn't your usual government demonstration.
"Taser, taser, taser," yelled Vermont State Police Sgt. Hugh O'Donnell.
On Monday, O'Donnell fired a taser to demonstrate how the weapon works.
He also provided details on how often the department uses the weapon.
O'Donnell says in the past two years, in more than 110,000 cases a taser was involved in 150 of them and used 70 times.
His presentation was part of a three-hour forum put together by Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell to investigate the weapon after it killed a Thetford man last summer.
Since then, some have demanded changes in how police use it or getting rid of it all together.
"No I don't think tasers should be used," said an observer.
However Monday, some testified that a taser is an effective tool for police.
"When you display that device and you tell them that a taser is on scene that immediately changes the behavior of many combative, violent components," said former Burlington Police Deputy Chief Walter Decker.
A complaint some had about the forum is the fact it took place during the day and people weren't able to come.
We asked Sorrell about that and he said he wanted to pick a day when the legislature wasn't in session and he gave plenty of advance notice.
Sorrell says the panel will use Monday's information to determine if change is needed.
"Like anything else, any kind of weapon is subject to abuse and misuse," said Sorrell.
If you want to provide feedback you can mail the panel at:
Vermont Attorney General
109 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
Or, you can email, atginfo@atg.state.vt.us
