Gilbertville Police Chief Dave McGlaughlin shot with a Taser
An eastern Iowa police chief was shot with a Taser in front of a large crowd this week, but it was all for a good cause. Gilbertville Police Chief Dave McGlaughlin was tased by a fellow officer during halftime of a Don Bosco High School basketball game. Not only will it help with his Taser training, McGlaughlin conceived the idea to help with the department’s current equipment needs.
The chief told KCRG-TV he is hoping to raise as much as $8,500. For the department of four, the money would help buy body cameras, bicycle patrol equipment, traffic direction signs and, yes, Tasers. Currently, the department has to share the nonlethal device. “One Taser and four officers is not cool, McGlaughlin said. “We are looking for an AED. We have never carried a defibrillator in the department from what I understand. To me that’s unacceptable.”
Gilbertville Police officer Nick Brokaw says every dollar donated will help. “Especially these times where we have a low budget and we are a small department so we can’t always afford all of the items that some of the larger departments can, so hopefully we can buy this equipment,” Brokaw said.
The department raised over $700 at the game and people can continue to donate online. The chief said the fundraiser was also a good way to simply get out into the community and meet people.
by Jill Kasperie, KCRG-TV