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The public safety officer shocked the child on the wrist or
arm after the boy said he wanted to see what it felt like, the
Juneau Empire newspaper reported, quoting the boy's mother.
"They were talking about being Tased, and my son did ask to be
Tased," the mother, Terrie Ward, told the newspaper.
Alaska’s Public Safety spokeswoman Megan Peters said Troopers
were investigating whether a crime was committed in the December
incident or whether it was an administrative matter for the
tribal government.
Ward lives in the community of Kake, about 100 miles (60 km)
southeast of Juneau. Its population is about 600, most of whom
are Alaska Natives.
Kake, like many remote communities, is patrolled by public
safety workers, who are trained by police but are not sworn
officers.
Both the Troopers and the tribal government entity that oversees
the state-funded public safety program that employs the officers
are investigating.
Jason Wilson, of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska,
said the issue was a personnel matter. A report will be
forwarded to the Juneau District Attorney, both said.
Many of Alaska's coastal and interior communities not connected
by road have public safety officers who act as first responders
rather than armed Troopers.
New legislation passed last year will soon allow the public
safety officers to carry firearms while on duty.
(Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Paul Tait)
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