Zap 'like being whacked by 4x2'

There's a rumour going around the police that if you are volunteering to get zapped by Taser gun you should bring a change of underwear to work.

But one of Auckland's top criminal investigators, Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand, said that's just nonsense. And he should know.

Mr Hollewand is one of dozens of police officers who have been voluntarily zapped by 50,000 volts of electricity during Taser training.

Police in Auckland and Wellington start trials with the X26 model Tasers from September 1, despite criticism from community groups and unions who claim it is "arming of the police by deception". Opponents will march up Queen St, Auckland, at noon today.

Mr Hollewand decided it was only fair that he experienced the Taser's sting for himself during a training session.

"I had done a bit of research in advance and I had a reasonable idea that it wasn't going to be fatal or damaging in anyway and so it proved to be."

After signing a consent and disclaimer Mr Hollewand was zapped for five "intensely uncomfortable" and "very long" seconds.

"There's 19 pulses per second for five seconds. Each of those pulses felt like being whacked by a piece of 4x2 squarely across the back.

"It was a heavy unpleasant jolt each time. I was completely immobilised. I had no control of my limbs and I fell towards the floor.

"After five seconds the pulses stopped and within a few seconds I was able to move again and stood up and was fine."

While there were no lasting effects Mr Hollewand said he did feel a little weary and his muscles felt slightly fatigued - as if he had gone for a run.

He was however able to think clearly throughout his experience - enough so to decide it was one he would never voluntarily repeat.

Mr Hollewand is aware of the concerns from many New Zealanders about the introduction of Tasers, which are designed to incapacitate violent and armed people long enough for them to be restrained.

Some groups claim the weapons are a form of torture, have killed up to 150 people in America and are degrading.

"I say its a gross over-reaction," said Mr Hollewand. "The Taser is an incapacitation device and it's an aid to handcuffing people who are being violent and need to be restrained.

"It's much, much, much, much, much less lethal and less damaging than shooting someone with a revolver."

Mr Hollewand points to several cases when the use of a Taser may have prevented a shooting in New Zealand.

One such example was the death of Pakuranga man Haidar Mahdi in August 2004.

Mr Mahdi had already been pepper-sprayed when he cut a policeman and then held a carving knife to his wife's throat. He was shot dead by police. "If a Taser had been available, that whole incident would have been resolved and Mr Mahdi would have been in handcuffs and having probably no other ill effects within a couple of minutes."

Mr Hollewand said the Taser was more effective in controlling enraged and violent people than pepper spray and had fewer after-effects.

Police involved in the Taser trial have been trained in removing the probe and in aftercare and have strict guidelines on when it can be used.

The Tasers will be carried in incident cars and kept in a locked box.

When a person is zapped, probes, with little barbs on the end, hook into the clothing or skin.

Electricity is then passed through the probes, incapacitating the skeletal muscles which are involved in motor control.