Police union’s raffle prize: Use of stun gun on an officer

DERIDDER, La. (AP) — A local police union in Louisiana is raffling off a grand prize that has shocked some: the use of a stun gun on one of its officers.

DeRidder Police Chief John Gott says officers themselves suggested one of their own be stunned April 15 to raise funds for the department’s Christmas toy drive.

“They are willing to do whatever it takes ... to purchase toys for local families in need,” Gott told The American Press of Lake Charles (http://bit.ly/2pmnO2g).

Gott says a certified instructor will shoot the stun gun under controlled conditions, showing what officers must endure in training.

The prize is intended for adults. That detail wasn’t included on community flyers, Gott says, and may have contributed to some negative reactions. But he says reaction has been largely positive.

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Information from: American Press, http://www.americanpress.com