$5 could win you a chance to use Taser on city official

For the price of a $5 raffle ticket, Van Meter is offering its residents a chance to use a police Taser on a city official.

City Hall is selling the tickets as part of a public safety fundraiser. The raffle winner will get the chance to use a Taser on City Administrator Jake Anderson or Councilman Bob Lacy at the Van Meter Fire Association Street Dance on July 18.

"I volunteered to be tased," Anderson said.

A police officer will assist with the tasing, with the proceeds going to help the department purchase a second squad car, add speed radar and possibly expand its six-member part-time and reserve force.

Anderson said the idea came up during a meeting with police about funding.

"The joke was sort of, 'Yeah, let's tase the administrators. They make all the friends,' " Anderson said. "I was like, 'Yeah, that's funny. Do you think you could raise some money?' "

Lacy volunteered to add a little competition, and Anderson was glad.

"I didn't want there to be a 100 percent chance I'd be tased," he said.

Anderson said he's never been stunned with a Taser before, adding: "I imagine it will hurt."

Police Chief Bill Daggart, a former Waukee officer, acknowledged he's never been subjected to a Taser either.

He said they're not that dangerous. Issues arise when someone has a prior medical issue or already is in a state of shock and the Taser prongs go across the heart, Daggart said.

"Most officers will tell you they'd much rather be tased than pepper sprayed. The effects are so short, and it doesn't burn," he said.

He hopes to buy Tasers for Van Meter's department once they've raised the $5,000 to $10,000 desired to expand the force.

"A Taser reduces suspect-officer physical confrontations immensely," Daggart said.

The police department is also raffling gift cards for Sportsman's Warehouse valued at prices equal to a number of firearms, including a Ruger AR556 Patrol Rifle.

Daggart said the desire to expand the force isn't the result of any crime increase in the town of roughly 1,100 residents. Van Meter is hoping to attract a data storage industry from companies such as Microsoft or Facebook.

Although the city has a patch of land suitable for that industry, those companies often require specific response times from police and fire services.

"It's not a crime issue as much as it is a growth issue," Daggart said. "It's a way we can compete with Omaha and West Des Moines."

'Don't tase me bro!'

A poster created by the Van Meter Police Department advertising its raffle reads, "It is Taser time!!!" adding that citizens can "vote to Taser Jake or Bob."

The bottom of the poster reads, "Don't Tase me bro!!!!!"

Police Chief Bill Daggart said that line is in reference to a 2007 incident where a University of Florida student screamed that phrase after he was kicked out of a forum with John Kerry. Police officers tackled him and Tased him when he resisted arrest.

"It's not really a joke," Daggart said. "It has no meaning to it. It was just a saying that's out there."