Following the death of a man two weeks ago on Hawthorne Street who was tased during a confrontation with police, at least two city councillors are seeking additional information and a closer examination of taser use by the Chelsea Police Department.
While the Hawthorne Street incident is not currently attributed to the tasing itself, authorities suspect the man may have died from a heroin overdose. After being tased, handcuffed, and given NARCAN (an overdose reversal drug), he lost consciousness and was taken to Whidden Hospital, where he subsequently died.
Councillors Giovanni Recupero and Joe Perlatonda, both vocal critics of local police operations, have expressed interest in examining the matter more closely. They contend they are aware of additional incidents involving tasers and believe a public forum on their deployment and associated training protocols would be beneficial.
“People are concered due to the last person over that died after being tased,” Perlatonda stated. “I guess last Saturday on the corner of Central and Marginal Street, someone was trying to steal copper or lumber from the new hotel building site. The police arrived on the scene and ended up tasing the guy. Councillor Recupero and I are very concerned.”
According to Recupero, most taser incidents have occurred within either his district or Perlatonda’s district.
While not opposed to tasers in principle, Recupero indicated he wants greater clarity regarding their application and whether the police department is adequately tracking their usage.
Tasers enjoy widespread adoption among police officers throughout the region. In Chelsea, the devices have already demonstrated success in reducing assaults on officers, incidents that frequently result in injuries and ongoing health complications.
Neighboring communities such as Revere are examining Chelsea’s taser program as they consider whether to implement similar weapons.
Standard taser training requires any officer carrying the device to experience it firsthand. This practice ensures officers understand its effects and prevents excessive use on suspects.
“It might be worth us getting some more information if these events are going to be happening more often,” Perlatonda remarked.