EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene residents are collecting signatures for a ballot initiative to restrict the use of Tasers by police officers.
Randy Prince, a teacher, says the initiative would allow police to use Tasers only in situations where deadly force is justified.
Critics say the effort to classify Tasers as a deadly weapon would hamstring police.
The Eugene Register-Guard reports that proponents need to collect 12,062 signatures by July 15 to put the initiative to Eugene voters in November.
A new report from the Eugene police department says officers are now using Tasers more frequently than pepper spray when confronting resistant people.
