Toyota Dealer Donates Taser Money to Elmhurst Police

More Elmhurst police officers will receive Tasers three months after a controversial at Spring Inn, thanks to a community grant from Elmhurst Toyota.

Elmhurst Toyota General Manager Kurt Schiele handed over the $10,000 check to Police Chief Steve Neubauer during Monday's City Council meeting.

Neubauer said the devices are an essential non-lethal way to protect police officers.

"The Taser sometimes gets a little bit of bad press, but it's a less lethal weapon," he said Monday. "We've had several assaults on officers; nationwide, assaults on police officers have risen in the last few years."

Neubauer cited a shoplifting incident in Elmhurst that led to a police officer getting dragged across the Dominick's parking lot, as well as an offender who pulled a baton from an officer during a chase.

"Which immediately makes that a lethal force issue, in both cases we were able to get away without lethal force," Neubauer said. "We have Tasers, but we didn't have enough to put in the hands of everyone on the street ... (Schiele) heard about our dilemma and graciously applied for the grant."

Neubauer said the $10,000 grant will ensure that every on-duty police officer in a marked car will have a Taser. The devices cost about $1,000 each.