OKEECHOBEE COUNTY, Fla. — During a recent incident in Okeechobee County, sheriff deputies said they opted to use a Taser to de-escalate a situation.
According to the spokesperson for the department, a woman came at the deputies with two knives and they deployed a taser to get her under control.
That prompted WPTV to inquire about the use of force in their department and how that has changed in recent years.
Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jack Nash said 12 years ago that using a Taser wasn't even an option for deputies.
Now, he said it's a de-escalation tool they wouldn't want to be without.
"The main benefit is life. We're saving lives," Nash said. "The main benefit of any less lethal [option] at any time is that we save lives, if at all possible."
Nash said ideally someone wouldn't resist arrest. But if they do, he feels Tasers are now their most used tool because they allow deputies to keep their distance.
Officials in Okeechobee County said all of its deputies carry a less lethal tool alongside their gun. The department said it has deployed Tasers 10 times this year.
They said their last deputy-involved shooting was four years ago.
It's a split-second decision, but now they said the focus is on critical thinking.
"What we have done over the last six years is had a higher priority on critical incidents, which means dealing with mental illness, people in distress, understanding what that means and how to react to it and recognize it," Okeechobee County Chief Deputy Michael Hazellief said. "That's definitely changed, and how we react with our less lethal."
Sheriff Noel Stephen said making sure his deputies are equipped with Tasers has saved countless lives.
"These tools are not only for them, but they're for the wellbeing of the individual being arrested and the public," Stephen said.
