A Salem, Oregon father was arrested Wednesday for using a dog's shock collar on his young children. "I've never seen a case quite like this. It's disturbing," said Lieutenant Dave Okada of the Salem Police Department.

Investigators say 41-year-old Todd Marcum, of Salem, used the electronic collar to torture his four kids, (ages 9, 8, 6 and 3). "We're obviously very distressed over this, that anybody would do this. We're disturbed somebody would do something like this," added Okada.

When asked by detectives why he did it, Marcum simply said it was Marcum simply said it was "funny". "He got great entertainment from chasing his younger child around the house with a dog collar to the point the child was crying and afraid the shock was going to come," said Okada. Police will not say if Marcum had a dog, or if he bought the collar with the intent to harm his kids. "This is just absurd and we are greatly disturbed by it," added Okada. Nataliya Khmelev has lived in the neighborhood for five years. Her daughter even plays with one of Marcum's kids, so she has met the man at the center of the case. "Absolutely polite and good, nothing strange," said Khmelev.

She says she cannot be certain as to why Marcum would torment his kids, but she has her suspicions. "Maybe something was wrong with him. Maybe it was sickness. I don't know," added Khmelev. Either way four kids are emotionally scarred, according to detectives, and their Dad is behind bars, charged with the crime. "We shouldn't have to tell people in our society not to do things of this nature," said Okada.

Todd Marcum is charged with four counts of criminal mistreatment in the first degree. His bail is set at $80,000. His kids are living with their mother while the Department of Human Services and police determine what is best for them.

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