Police Taser Use Increase

I don't know how familiar any of you are with anything to do with this subject, but I regular a site that posts a lot of news articles from across the country and overseas, and I was getting bombarded with daily reports of odd sounding cases and Deaths, way too many deaths.

"The increased use of Tasers by police spurs questions weighing a purported safety benefit against alleged overuse, including, against children and the elderly, and debate regarding its role in several deaths"

http://www.prisonplanet.com/Pages/Apr_05/030405_tasers.html

Report Cites 103 Taser-Related Deaths

obviousnews.com | Apr 03 2005

"There were 103 Taser stun gun-related deaths in the United States and Canada between June 2001 and March 2005, according to an Amnesty International report released Friday."

http://www.obviousnews.com/breakingnews/stories/obviousnews-552148.html

quote:

---

Tasers, Smith reminded his audience, have never been identified as the direct, primary cause of death by a medical examiner.

---

And the cause of death is not the fall itself, but the sudden stop at the end of the trip. I'm a certified first responder, and certified on the AED (Automated External Defibrillator). Hello mister police man, defibrillators use electricity to stop the heart, no more doughnuts for you!

Tasers perhaps have a place, like the large loiterer that first article mentions, but to zap him so many times? And what would motivate someone to Taser a child, or an elderly person? I'm all for ways to increase police safety, and alternate methods to lethal force, but the Taser use appears to be way out of hand. Just as the electrotherapy 'fad' went way overboard.

Thanks for posting Lefty.

Taser Death Ruled a Homicide

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/news/0412_turnerdeath.html

I have heard quite a few news stories myself regards this. The more I read the more it seems to me that the problem is with the way they are training the police to use them. Instead of trying to find other means of stopping people they just use the taser on them. The best example of this is a story I read where a female officer zapped a old women in a nursing home because the old woman refused to leave and was starting to get hysterical. Now maybe the officer didn't think she could stop the old woman herself, but couldn't she call for back up? I am sure that some police officer would have been able to physically restrain a old woman, but instead they zapped her. That is a perfect example that they are teaching police tasers are quick non-leathal problem solvers, instead of taking the time to teach police there are other ways to stop people.

HEre in Australia they choose to use Capsicum spray.... you get used to it...

Well, this one is killing people, you don't get used to it, and when they are using on children, come on.

Tasers are meant to incapacitate a suspect from resisting arrest, and in my opinion, if a man dies after being shot by a taser IN A SITUATION WHERE IT WAS NESSECARY TO PROTECT INNOCENT BYSTANDERS AND/OR OFFICERS ON THE SCENE, The officer should not be held responsible. if the situation calls for it, I say use this tool. Children adn the elderly should be restrainable without it- there are exceptions, but not many- but nine times in prison- the shooter should rot, that's overkill plus seven.

Readers react to police use of Taser on pregnant driver

When two Seattle police officers and their sergeant decided to arrest a motorist who refused to sign a ticket, the result was a confrontation that only ended after one officer applied a Taser to the woman, who was eight months pregnant at the time.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/224099_vmalaika13.html

How exactly does someone get killed by a taser? The only way I can see that as possible is if someone duct taped a taser to you. If you want to stop someone from hurting anyone, give them a quick zap then lay off, that is, if it's a hand-held taser, not an air taser. And, in addition, I would much rather be tased than shot. But also keep in mind, this is all coming from a 13 year old who's never been tased or shot.

Ever heard of the electric chair? Ever been told not to stick metal in a light socket?

Cops use the deployable prong types, the ones with barbs that latch into flesh like a fish hook.

You make a good point, it is thought that tasers aren't lethal, the laundry list of deaths are at the very least hinting to the possibility of a miscalculation.

I have been electrocuted once,and it did hurt alot. But mabye we should just stop using tasers that bore into flesh and only stop once they've delivered their potentially lethal dose of electricity. We should revert back to tasers with non-detatching electrodes. If we do this police can simply zap someone once, and if they still put up a fight, zap them again until they stop. I would personally give up after one zap.

Fla. deputy suspended after using Taser on girl

Associated Press | May 17 2005

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - An officer has been suspended for zapping a 13-year-old girl at least twice with a stun gun while she was handcuffed in his caged patrol car.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050517/BREAKING
NEWS/50517001

lmao...

FORT WORTH, Texas In the past nine months, at least six people in Texas _ including three in Fort Worth _ have died after authorities shocked them with a Taser gun.

http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3604300

Hilarious isn't it.

Police in 5 states sue Taser in past 2 weeks

Robert Anglen
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 20, 2005 12:00 AM

Police officers in five states filed lawsuits against Scottsdale-based Taser International over the past two weeks claiming they were seriously injured after being shocked with the electronic stun gun during training classes.

Among them is a Missouri police chief who says he suffered heart damage and two strokes when he volunteered to be shocked while hooked up to a cardiac monitor as a way to demonstrate the safety of the Taser to his officers.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0820taser20.html


(Hmmm...)