They pack a 50,000-volt punch and soon tasers could be hitting the streets of Belchertown. Police Chief Francis Fox spoke before the board of selectmen Monday evening, urging the board to pass a proposal to buy tasers for the town's police officers.
Fox said tasers are classified as a less-than-lethal weapon. Like pepper spray or a baton, tasers can subdue an unruly suspect without the use of deadly force, like a gun.

"The difference in this tool is that it's used for an assaultive person who's trying to harm an officer or harm a community member, and it can be used from a farther distance away," Fox said.

The device uses a high-voltage electrical charge to paralyze the body's muscles. But that type of force is drawing harsh criticism from some Belchertown residents.

"The heart is a muscle, and if you stop that muscle, you got to be able to get it started again in a matter of seconds," said Kenneth Nolan, a Belchertown resident opposed to tasers. Nolan prefers the use of pepper spray instead.

Chief Fox said he is aware of instances nationwide where tasers have encountered problems. He says while rare, when one of his officers discharges a taser, emergency medical crews will be on alert.

The Board of Selectmen was largely supportive of the measure before Monday's meeting, and passed the proposal with a unanimous 5-0 vote.

"We're going to support our chief and our officers, and it gives me a special privilege to know that, regardless of our surrounding community's position on this issue," said Alfred Roccanti, a Belchertown selectman.

Fox said neighboring towns like Greenfield, Montague, Deerfield, and North Adams already have tasers. Cities like Springfield though, do not.

The tasers for Belchertown are expected to come at a total cost of about $3,500.

Chief Fox said the measure still has to go through more steps including state approval, but said if everything goes smoothly, his officers could be carrying the tasers within three to four months.