POST FALLS - A 15-year veteran of Post Falls Police and former Officer of the Year was fired last month after an incident with a Taser stun gun that he said was a joke.

Officer Ian Johnson said he acted like he was going to scare a friend who works at River City Therapy with the stun gun at the business in December after he completed a medical call there.

"He's been wanting me to taser him, so when he spun away I clicked the Taser," Johnson said.

Johnson said his friend was not stunned. He said he took the cartridge off, so the probes were removed from the Taser, eliminating the chance for injury.

Johnson said he'd never actually Taser a friend who simply asked for it.

"It is painful," he said. "I would never do that."

Johnson said that he and his friend were there only people present at the time, but a co-worker heard about the incident and told Chief Scot Haug.

And, when Johnson said he was asked about the incident by Haug, he told the truth.

"It was a stupid joke that went bad," Johnson said.

Johnson said his friend was laughing about the incident afterward and that the Taser went off "a good 10 inches away."

Johnson appealed his termination to City Administrator Eric Keck, who upheld Haug's ruling.

"I was told that I was terminated for poor decision making and the fact that I'm a liability to the city and police department," Johnson said. "I could have lied about this and come out smelling like roses. But the fact that they fired me for telling the truth is upsetting.

"Yeah, it was poor decision making, but could it have hurt anyone? No."

Johnson said it seems like officers from other agencies have taken more questionable actions, but still retain their jobs.

Haug declined to comment, citing personnel issues and out of respect for Johnson's privacy.

Keck said Johnson has been a great employee and the city will miss having him around.

"In this particular instance there were multiple things taken into account with his dismissal," said Keck, declining to elaborate. "It was a difficult decision to make because he's a very honest guy."

Johnson, commonly on patrol on a motorcycle during the summers, was selected as Officer of the Year by his peers for 2007 after his involvement in a shooting incident in the parking lot of a Post Falls church.

A man fired at officers and Johnson fired back for their protection, injuring the suspect. Bill Douglas, who was the Kootenai County prosecutor at the time, ruled the shooting justified.

During the award ceremony, Johnson was praised for his quick responses and getting along with the public.