36 replies to this topic

[supermom]

You guys read the story?

A guy gets tasered and claims he has permanent damage to his arm.
Says he was tasered without any reason.

Whattdya think?

http://www.sacbee.co...ues-folsom.html


So on this article they cite 334 people died nationwide from getting tasered by law enforcement, whether they were armed or not... (different standards of engagement in different localities).



But when I went onto the Department of Justice Statistics website I found information that did not support itself and certainly was not anywhere near as high as what the Bee quoted. The estimates were from 2003-2005 time frame. They qoted in different spreadsheets anywhere from 1 death by taser to up to 234 deaths. during a two year time period, nationwide including all law enforcement agencies --state, fed, local, special agencies...


All deaths caused by LE during this time period including all types of restraints or firearms used was just over 2,000---to give you a fair comparison....



So I'm wondering--should a taser really be used? Do you think newer, stricter rules should be implemented?
Or maybe the taser itself should be examined? Maybe some brands cause more lasting harm?

[folsombound]

In my opinion, tasers give a police officer an option. Instead of using their firearm they have the option of using the taser to disable someone who is violent or threatening. I believe that saves lives since if a gun is used they are trained to fire at center of mass which is usually fatal. That said, some people die from the tasers because their body cannot handle the charge.

[Bill Z]

You guys read the story?

A guy gets tasered and claims he has permanent damage to his arm.
Says he was tasered without any reason.

Whattdya think?

http://www.sacbee.co...ues-folsom.html


So on this article they cite 334 people died nationwide from getting tasered by law enforcement, whether they were armed or not... (different standards of engagement in different localities).



But when I went onto the Department of Justice Statistics website I found information that did not support itself and certainly was not anywhere near as high as what the Bee quoted. The estimates were from 2003-2005 time frame. They qoted in different spreadsheets anywhere from 1 death by taser to up to 234 deaths. during a two year time period, nationwide including all law enforcement agencies --state, fed, local, special agencies...


All deaths caused by LE during this time period including all types of restraints or firearms used was just over 2,000---to give you a fair comparison....



So I'm wondering--should a taser really be used? Do you think newer, stricter rules should be implemented?
Or maybe the taser itself should be examined? Maybe some brands cause more lasting harm?

That's defintiely possible and highly likely. But another concern should also be that not everyone is going to react the same to electroshock therapy. I can easily see someone with a weak heart may suffer heart failure when the average person doesn't. It is why I also think pepper spray should be examined as well. As a severe asthmatic, I consider pepper spray to be lethal force. I truly believe a strong shot into my face will more than likely throw me into Acute Respiratory Failure and if not treated quickly enough, death. From the reports I've read, when pepper spray does cause medical issues, police departments are slow to realize and take proper action that they have a life or death situation on their hands, consequently people have died that shouldn't have.

[mylo]

I think Tasers should be banned. If they're worth shooting, shoot them the old fashioned way. It's the attempt to NOT kill people that puts LE in danger.

[baltimore?]

I think Tasers should be banned. If they're worth shooting, shoot them the old fashioned way. It's the attempt to NOT kill people that puts LE in danger.

I couldn't agree more. That was one of the first things I was taught in Criminal Justice courses. If you are gonna shoot, you shoot to kill, not injure.

[Bill Z]

I think Tasers should be banned. If they're worth shooting, shoot them the old fashioned way. It's the attempt to NOT kill people that puts LE in danger.

I don't know. I do think that maybe they need to be re-evaluated. I guess the problem becomes, trying to avoid the use of lethal force and avoid the dangers of hand to hand combat with people (like use of billy clubs and stuff), what can the police use that is an effective method of detaining and stopping suspects that aren't "coming quietly". Afterall, for the most part, these weapons aren't used on cooperative suspects. What bothers me is when a situation is deemed not to require lethal force, and the supposedly non-lethal force becomes lethal, we have a person that has been killed that wasn't meant to be killed.

[mylo]

what can the police use that is an effective method of detaining and stopping suspects that aren't "coming quietly".

Shoot them dead. I bet more people will come quietly if they knew that's the alternative.

[SmartMoney]

Stay out of trouble and you won't have to worry about being shot or stunned. I hope the bum gets nothing out of this bogus lawsuit.

[4thgenFolsomite]

Shoot them dead. I bet more people will come quietly if they knew that's the alternative.

wow. aren't you from England? Where cops don't carry guns?



I watch Cops occassionally and there are many times when people are so loaded on crack or some other loopy drug that they're superpowerful, highly resistant to being calmly handcuffed and not in their right minds. tasers seem like a great tool in those instances. And judging by TV (which is never safe to do, of course), it happens a lot!

If I were a police officer, I would want the option to taz someone before shooting them.

[chris v]

When I first moved out of my parents house I bought a condo in Citrus Heights. One morning the police confronted a guy in my driveway, of all places. They pulled their guns and told him to stop. He didn't, so they shot him from about 15 feet away 3-4 times in the chest. He dropped to one knee then got up and ran. Once he got down the street a group of about 8 police started beating the living crap out of him with clubs. The guy fought off every single one of them. They should have shot him in the face.

[legofamily]

I read the story and wished it would have included the Folsom Police Department's side of the story. It sounds like they are not talking about it at this point. If the police tasered this guy for no apparent reason then that is not right, but I think there must be more to the story.

[4thgenFolsomite]

I read the story and wished it would have included the Folsom Police Department's side of the story. It sounds like they are not talking about it at this point. If the police tasered this guy for no apparent reason then that is not right, but I think there must be more to the story.

its seems like the real issue wasn't that he was tasered, but that he thinks they mistreated him after he was tased and were negligent in putting handcuffs on the taser barb in his hand and then ignoring his pleas to remove the barb or at least move the handcuffs away from the barb. it was the barb that has reportedly caused the nerve damage, not the tasering itself. I think they're designed to go into the fleshy parts of the upper body, maybe not so much into the bony parts.

anyway, two sides to the story for sure. if they ignored his requests to check out the barb and mocked him, then that would seem to be a bit unprofessional. The cops are the ones who are supposed to keep their heads about them and not fall into the trap of emotions. That said, I take my hat off to every single cop out there. They do a job that keeps us safe at their personal risk.

[mylo]

Now - no doubt lots of folks who become battery-powered deserve it - but the use of tasers has gotten a bit out of hand.

I absolutely concur. Police are starting to abuse the taser because it's "less lethal". If they actually had to shoot the guy in the face, they'd think twice about if he really deserves it. If he does, do it! If not, no reason to tase him, either.

[folsombound]

Just curious. From the front page of the Folsom Forum. Is POLSOM somewhere near Folsom?