Published: July 18, 2008 08:52 am      

Keyser Police awarded $2,000 grant for tasers

KEYSER, W.Va. — The Keyser Police Department has been awarded a $2,000 grant for the purchase of tasers.

Delegate Bob Schadler of Keyser presented the certificate for the Community Development grant to Police Chief Karen Shoemaker during a recent Keyser City Council meeting.

Schadler requested the money, which was approved by Gov. Joe Manchin.

“It’s for the purchase of three tasers,” Shoemaker said.

“We’ve had one for about a year, but everybody had to share it,” she said, noting that it hasn’t been easy but “we’ve been making it work.”

Shoemaker said all the Keyser officers have been trained in the use of the tasers, which give them “an intermediary weapon” between placing handcuffs on a suspect and being forced to draw their weapon.

“It’s something you hope you don’t have to use,” she said.

In other business that came before the council on July 14:

• Resident Dave Harman urged the newly-elected council members to take a more proactive approach to stormwater management within the city. He noted the locations of several clogged stormwater drains in the city and asked them to look into cleaning and/or repairing them in order to improve the drainage.

• On a motion made by Councilman Dave Sowers and seconded by Councilman Ed Miller, the council decided to solicit bids for a lift and a tire machine for use by the employees as they maintain the city’s vehicles.

According to Mayor Glen “Bunk” Shumaker, the city “is saving thousands of dollars by doing a lot of our maintenance work in house.”

• Schadler asked the council to look at placing warning reflectors along the alley behind the Markwood Funeral Home to warn drivers about the severe drop-off onto the parking lot behind the Grand Central Business Center.

The next regularly-scheduled council meeting will be held at 4 p.m. July 28.

Contact Liz Beavers at lbeavers@times-news.com.