Police chiefs, attorneys and former Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ralph J. Cappy are among members of a newly formed group tasked with studying the use of Tasers in Allegheny County.

District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. announced the group's formation yesterday, saying it will review Taser technology and police standards for using the electronic shock device.

The 10-member group hopes to make formal recommendations about Taser protocols to Mr. Zappala, but no timeline has been established for their completion. The group will hear suggestions from law enforcement, Taser manufacturers and the FBI, among others.

The formation of the group comes on the heels of several high-profile incidents involving Taser use in the county, including the Aug. 5 death of Andre Thomas, who died shortly after being stunned three times by Swissvale police officers. It is still unknown whether the Taser played a role in his death.

Among its aims, the group will study the circumstances under which Tasers should be used; what policies should exist for after they've been used; whether they should be part of standard police training; and whether the devices play a role in in-custody deaths.

Members of the group include University of Pittsburgh law professor John M. Burkoff; UPMC senior vice president and chief legal officer Robert J. Cindrich; Duquesne University law professor and Allegheny County Bar Association President Kenneth G. Gormley; University of Pittsburgh law professor David A. Harris; former U.S. Attorney J. Alan Johnson; Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association president and Harrison Township police Chief Michael Klein; administrative judge Donna Jo McDaniel; Pittsburgh NAACP President Gayle Moss; and Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association President and Robinson Township police Chief Dale Vietmeier.