Officer Randall Krouse is suspended for 40 days

[WaTcHeR]

Denver police Officer Randall Krouse was suspended for 40 days without pay in March after using a Taser on a man he suspected was drunk.

7NEWS was first to show a jail surveillance video that captured the entire incident, which occurred in January 2006.

The video showed Krouse and two other officers escorting the suspect, 45-year-old Kenneth Rodriguez, into a holding cell. Rodriguez was reportedly intoxicated, and according to Krouse, was uncooperative. The surveillance video shows Rodriguez repeatedly stepped onto a bench in the holding cell, pushing his weight back against the officers.

Krouse warned the suspect twice and can be heard on tape asking, "Understand el Taser?"

Krouse then shocked the suspect twice, who fell over onto the bench. He shocked Rodriguez on the neck and on the back.

"I wasn't trying to be racial," Krouse said regarding his "el Taser" comment. "It just came out wrong."

The independent monitor who examines complaints against the Denver Police Department said Krouse's actions qualified as excessive force, saying the department's policy forbids using a Taser on a suspect in the neck unless the officer's life is in jeopardy.

Krouse spoke with 7NEWS Thursday morning, and he said he wishes he had handled the situation differently. However, he said he firmly believed the suspect was a clear threat, and he felt he had to get the situation under control before someone was injured.

Outside of the incident, Krouse has an exemplary record with DPD. The independent monitor said Krouse's clear record is the reason a suspension without pay was recommended instead of termination.

Krouse finished his suspension last month and is currently back at work.

Rodriguez originally entered a guilty plea the day after the incident to three charges, but after the video was publicly released, the district attorney dropped all charges against him.