2008 Woodie Awards
Taser incident results in death
Caroline Briggs
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Front Page
Sgt. Jim Squance of Oxford Police Department (OPD) said that the police force has been using Taser guns since 2001.
Squance also said that since 2001, OPD officers have only used their Taser equipment in six cases, including Saturday's incident. According to police reports, Tasers have been deployed in three cases this semester.
Last October, OPD issued the new X-26 Taser for every patrolling officer. The new model is equipped with audio and video recording that is activated when the Taser is deployed.
Certification and annual recertification are required for every officer equipped with an X-26 Taser.
According to OPD, Robinson was originally certified Sept. 19, 2007, and he took a refresher course April 12. Robinson, 27, is a Miami University graduate and has been on the OPD force for two years.
The Butler County Sheriff's office is currently conducting a review of the incident.
Sgt. Monte Mayer said that the Butler County Sheriff's Office received the reports and witness statements Tuesday from OPD. He said OPD Chief Steve Schwein found it important to have an independent investigation into the matter.
Mayer said the sheriff's office does not know when the review of the incident will be released.
"With the significance of this event, (our investigation) will result in a more independent approach to the matter," Mayer said.
Mayer said it was common practice for any department to hold a review of any use of force by officers, including the usage of anything from pepper spray to fire arms.
According to the Taser International Web site, 18,000 police agencies nationwide use Taser equipment, and of those, 3,500 issue a Taser to all of their patrol officers. The X-26 has the ability to administer shock from zero to 25 feet away.
According to Lt. Ben Spilman of the Miami University Police Department, a Taser holds less potential for electro shock than a heart pacemaker. Spilman is one of three officers trained to recertify officers in Oxford.
Spilman said that officers are trained to target certain areas of the body.
"Officers are focused on hitting areas on the body with large muscle mass," Spilman said. "We aim for the back, limbs and legs, but we avoid the head and face because the barb will embed itself on soft tissue like the face."
Piskura is originally from Walton Hills outside of Cleveland, Ohio though he recently resided in Lake View, Ill.
According to the Bedford Police Department, Piskura's father Charles served on the force from January 1971 until May 2000.
Squance also said that since 2001, OPD officers have only used their Taser equipment in six cases, including Saturday's incident. According to police reports, Tasers have been deployed in three cases this semester.
Last October, OPD issued the new X-26 Taser for every patrolling officer. The new model is equipped with audio and video recording that is activated when the Taser is deployed.
Certification and annual recertification are required for every officer equipped with an X-26 Taser.
According to OPD, Robinson was originally certified Sept. 19, 2007, and he took a refresher course April 12. Robinson, 27, is a Miami University graduate and has been on the OPD force for two years.
The Butler County Sheriff's office is currently conducting a review of the incident.
Sgt. Monte Mayer said that the Butler County Sheriff's Office received the reports and witness statements Tuesday from OPD. He said OPD Chief Steve Schwein found it important to have an independent investigation into the matter.
Mayer said the sheriff's office does not know when the review of the incident will be released.
"With the significance of this event, (our investigation) will result in a more independent approach to the matter," Mayer said.
Mayer said it was common practice for any department to hold a review of any use of force by officers, including the usage of anything from pepper spray to fire arms.
According to the Taser International Web site, 18,000 police agencies nationwide use Taser equipment, and of those, 3,500 issue a Taser to all of their patrol officers. The X-26 has the ability to administer shock from zero to 25 feet away.
According to Lt. Ben Spilman of the Miami University Police Department, a Taser holds less potential for electro shock than a heart pacemaker. Spilman is one of three officers trained to recertify officers in Oxford.
Spilman said that officers are trained to target certain areas of the body.
"Officers are focused on hitting areas on the body with large muscle mass," Spilman said. "We aim for the back, limbs and legs, but we avoid the head and face because the barb will embed itself on soft tissue like the face."
Piskura is originally from Walton Hills outside of Cleveland, Ohio though he recently resided in Lake View, Ill.
According to the Bedford Police Department, Piskura's father Charles served on the force from January 1971 until May 2000.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 51
Bill C
posted 4/25/08 @ 8:36 AM EST
The article doesn't say if Kevin Piskura was actually in the fight. Did the police taser an innocent person? Two times?? Nice P.D. you have.
How about Steven Gene Smith. (Continued…)
Nick Stroup (Miami alum)
posted 4/25/08 @ 9:48 AM EST
I had a feeling of dread wash over me as I opened my email to see this today. Now it has hit home. This has been going on all over the country. Many people are dying because of police officers irresponsibly using tasers. (Continued…)
Andrew
posted 4/25/08 @ 12:25 PM EST
Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, irresponsible use of a taser will not allow Kevin to have a fair trial.
Alumn
posted 4/25/08 @ 1:10 PM EST
You are a first hand observer, saw him get tasered, and this is your contribution? If I were you I would be disgusted with what happened and not be posting on the internet acting high and mighty. (Continued…)
B
posted 4/25/08 @ 1:27 PM EST
Alum, I was trying not to go into too much detail for the sake of the family, the bar, and the OPD, but I will give you a brief overview.
His friend was being removed for fighting. (Continued…)
AnnR
AnnE
posted 4/25/08 @ 2:14 PM EST
This is definitely a tragedy and the police may have "misused" the tazer. But if I was a police officer and two people were fighting and I had no way of knowing whether they had a weapon or device that could hurt me, my butt would be tazing that person. (Continued…)
parkeral27
ALP
posted 4/25/08 @ 2:20 PM EST
Here's a video of the incident. Pretty brutal. Note: It loops after the first 20 seconds of so.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-police_taser_death_webapr25,0,7015156. (Continued…)
Joe
posted 4/25/08 @ 4:57 PM EST
How about people respect the wishes of the Piskura family (the patriarch being a retired police officer) and not pass judgment until the review of the incident is release?
Any person making inflated public pronouncements at this point is disrespecting the family of the deceased and the police. (Continued…)
Mike
posted 4/25/08 @ 5:11 PM EST
I was not at the scene, however, I have seen the video. And one thing is certain: THE OFFICER TAZED HIM FOR FAR TOO LONG. Was it really necesary for the officer to taze Kevin for 10 seconds? Was it really necessary to taze him in the chest? From the look of it, he is rolling on the ground, yet the officer is still tazing him. (Continued…)
Michael Grepp
posted 4/25/08 @ 5:13 PM EST
Just curious as to why President Hodge decided to personally post a notice on Miami's website in regards to the recently deceased alumnae of Miami University. (Continued…)
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