Fairfield Police Officer becomes certified TASER instructor

FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield Police Department has announced that one of its officers just completed the training to become a TASER instructor.

Fairfield Police Officer Rylee Nuno completed the training to become a TASER instructor, making her one of two Fairfield police officers to have completed the training. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Burnett is also a certified TASER instructor.

Officer Nuno told The Union that the purpose of a TASER is to gain control of a subject, and is a less lethal use of force than a firearm. She said officers in the Fairfield Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office carry a version of the TASER called the TASER 7, which has two cartridges, and each cartridge has two probes that are designed to stick into the subject.

“If the probes make a good connection and spread on the subject, then neuromuscular incapacitation would happen,” said Officer Nuno. “That means causing loss of sufficient voluntary muscle control, which stops the subject from achieving their goal.”

Officer Nuno said most officers on the police department has been tased, and that TASERS can be used to subdue either armed or unarmed individuals.

According to Axon’s website, TASER is a brand of energy weapons created by Jack Cover, a former NASA scientist. The website notes that TASER technology was pioneered in 1974, and that Axon’s original TASER energy weapon called the Air TASER debuted in 1993.

“Simply put, a signal is sent to a subject's muscles telling them to flex, using similar technology found in off-the-shelf muscle stimulators,” states the website in describing TASER technology.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com