Don’t Taze My Granny!!

I don’t mean to be tellin’ no stories, but this is just Pure Grade A “Oklahoma.”

A man in El Reno, Oklahoma found his elderly, bed-ridden Grandmother in a state of confusion and unable to tell him what medications she had taken. She was so out of sorts that he felt he should call EMS to come out and check Granny.

Prior to the EMTs showing up, three of El Reno’s finest showed up to “help” out. When they approached the elderly and bed-ridden 86 year old lady (in her bed) they said she was confused and incoherent while being aggressive towards them. Apparently, Granny was unsure of who these men were and went into a protective pose….bed-ridden of course.

As these police officers began to demand that Granny back down, she apparently felt more threatened and pulled a kitchen knife at which point the officer in charge reportedly demanded the bed-ridden 86 year-old back down or she would be tased. At this point, the grandson said, “Don’t taze my Granny.”

With that the police officers subdued the grandson, handcuffed him and placed in the back of a patrol car. Then the officer in charge said he felt even more threatened when Granny took a more aggressive stance in her bed – REALLY? With that, she was tased until she passed out. Then she was taken to a hospital and admitted for eight days of psychiatric evaluation – OUTSTANDING!!

Well, as usually happens in one of these cases, Granny and her unappreciative grandson are suing the El Reno Police Department and the officers for $75,000.00. I guess the only questions I have for the three police officers is what was the deal. You couldn’t wait her out.

I mean when my bed-ridden grandma was alive she could last about 30 minutes before she fell asleep. Here’s a tactic, just stand still and don’t make any sudden moves. She’ll eventually get bored and those eyebrows will get heavy causing her to fall asleep, then you could all three jump on her and take her down…oh wait….she’s already in bed.

Maybe they could have just talked her out of it. I mean just speaking with the women in a calm and soothing voice may have reassured her that they were there to help. Oh, here’s one, how about getting the grandson involved and have him say something real technical like “Granny, these gentlemen are here to help you.”

I don’t know, maybe I’m being naïve but when we worry about how to juke an 86 year-old bed-ridden women with a kitchen knife and just go ahead and tase her, well I think we have some discussing to do on our people skills and the judicious use of Common Sense.

Mark El Reno, Oklahoma off my list of retirement communities,
Bill