By Police1 Staff
NORTH ENID, Okla. — A local police chief said his officer used a legitimate escalation of force when he pulled a TASER on a man during a traffic stop.
An officer pulled up to inform driver Kali Wood that she was in a no parking zone earlier this month when her friend, Gary Duckworth, began questioning the officer, KFOR reported.
Duckworth told the officer Wood’s foot was still on the brake, therefore her car wasn’t in park. He proceeded to ask multiple questions while the officer wrote the $25 ticket.
When the officer began explaining the ticket to Wood, Duckworth became angry about the court date and asked why the officer couldn’t answer his question.
“Sir, I owe you nothing,” the officer responded. “You’ve been nothing but rude to me since I got here.”
When the officer walked back to his patrol car, Duckworth followed. The officer pulled his TASER and warned him that if he didn’t back up, he was going to jail. The incident ended without the officer having to use the device.
“My officer didn’t shoot him with the TASER,” Police Chief Rick Dominic told KFOR. “He backed up to his car and, as soon as he holstered ... the guy advances again. You don’t know what they’re going to do.”
A police committee made up of four citizens reviewed the video and determined that the officer followed training and department policy.
Wood said she plans to pay the ticket.