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Among police officers, an everyday citizen would expect to see salutes, but on Thursday, some ordinary people had the salutes directed at them for helping perform an extraordinary function.

Members of the Marco Island Police Foundation were invited to a Member Appreciation Salute at the Marco Island Police Department for tours, demonstrations and discussion. It is all a part of the foundation’s effort to bring Marco Islanders closer to their law enforcement officers, said Board Member Keith Dameron.

“This was very focused on the membership, to come in and meet and interact with the officers, and to see this facility,” he said. “They can appreciate the improvement and the environment from the setup the department had before.”

Prior to the completion of the building about a year ago, the department was housed in the fire house next door, making quarters cramped for both departments.

Members got to tour the facility, including the booking and holding areas, check out the central command area set up for hurricanes or other disasters and witness demonstrations. The biggest hit of the afternoon was a Taser demonstration, directed by officer Cliff Morine. Morine, a night shift supervisor, is the department’s only Taser instructor, which comes with unique perks, he said.

“I got to tase probably half of our department,” he said, to the amusement of the gathered foundation members.

As part of the responsibility of using a painful, and potentially deadly weapon like a Taser, officers must experience firsthand what it feels like. One member called out to ask if Morine ever tased Police Chief Roger Reinke.

“Yes, I got to tase the chief,” he said.

“That’s why you got the night shift,” the foundation member responded, laughter filling the room.

Following a few video examples of a Taser being applied to real suspects, foundation members were invited to the bay area of the building to try their own hands at a Taser. It was harder than most expected, as they tried to hit a mannequin from about 15 feet away. Both sharp little probes must strike a target for it to work. As the two electrodes are activated, it pumps a current through the body, disabling motor functions and, usually, subduing a target.

“A lot of times, once people become tasered, they become very apologetic,” Morine said.

While the drama of the demonstration serves its own function for the sake of entertainment and curiosity, Dameron said, the entirety of the member salute helps draw the foundation’s contributors closer to one another and to the purpose of the group.

“It gives the members an opportunity to ask us as board members: what is the organization doing? What is it about?” Dameron said. “Two couples I was talking to ... they’ve been members for a while, but they never really asked the question: ‘What do you do?’ ”

The foundation not only provides moral support to the department, naming and congratulating officers of the month and of the year, but also provides financial support to officers during times of need.

Officers with family crises, medical problems or educational aspirations can appeal to the foundation for help.

“I don’t think many of the officers live on Marco,” Dameron said. “They have to commute. That says something about the benefits to them.”

It is a beautiful testament to the togetherness of the community, Dameron said, when residents, seeing what the police do for them, want to give something in return.