Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) Sioux Falls Police Chief Doug Barthel wants his officers for the first time to be armed with tasers.
He's asked City Council for the money and hopes the police will start using the tasers by next Spring.
Barthel tells KELO that the catalyst for his decision happened last February when three of his officers were hurt trying to handle a big man in a domestic violence situation. Barthel believes that if those officers had had tasers, the situation might have turned out differently.
Tasers have been at the center of lawsuits in other city's, but Barthel says suits can happen with any weapon, so you just want to have good policies in place.