Police in northeast Ohio have placed a school resource officer on unpaid leave for activating a Taser to wake up a sleeping student.
The incident occurred late last month at Liberty Preparatory School in Smithville. Police say the officer was called to a classroom when a sleeping student wouldn’t wake up for a teacher or principal. Smithville Police Chief Howard Funk said the officer removed the cartridge from the Taser and “arced” it. Authorities say the sparking sound and noise from the other students woke the sleeping student. No probes were deployed, and the teenager wasn’t hurt.
Funk will meet with the Smithville solicitor to determine if any charges should be filed.