NORWAY – Selectmen have unanimously approved the use of Tasers by police here.

The action taken Thursday night will allow local police to send a jolt of high-voltage electricity through a person when police can’t use physical force or pepper spray to subdue a suspect. Police here will join other law enforcement agencies, including the Oxford Police Department and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, in the use Tasers.

“It’s not meant to punish them. It’s meant to get them under control,” said police Chief Robert Federico of Tasers, which lock up muscles long enough for officers to handcuff a suspect.

Tasers will not be used on children, elderly or pregnant women, and officers will be trained in its use, the chief said.

Federico said a review of Taser use by Oxford and county police since July 2007 shows the equipment was used three times. The chief said Norway police have been called to Stephens Memorial Hospital, where pepper spray cannot be used, 64 times and have responded to 34 calls for mentally disturbed persons during the same period. Those are all cases where Tasers would potentially be beneficial in subduing suspects, he said.

“It’s a good alternative for what we have now,” said Federico. Choices now are pepper spray or wrestling a suspect to the ground.

Federico told the board the probes sent into a person by the Taser will be removed immediately by PACE emergency medical responders and the wound will be swiped with alcohol and bandaged.

Tasers will be purchased with $800 in drug forfeiture money.

A motion was made by Selectwoman Irene Millett and seconded by Selectman Warren Sessions Jr. for the purchase.