My brother-in-law had to take a shot from one of those when he was in the academy. To this day he shivers if he even hears one on tv.
EDIT: to add still reading but so far a pretty good article.
EDIT2: Wow I had never heard about all the legal side of this controversy. Very nice article.
thanks, I wanted to write is b/c most people ave no idea how much shady stuff surrounds this topic. For me, its a major issue, people are effected by this device. I know three officers that had their careers ruined from it, not to mention all the civil cases involved. Alot of cops blindly defend the TASER without looking at the over all picture of the issue. While I'm not one of them, too many take a very simplistic approach to this issue.
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12:15 PM
Pyrthian Member
Posts: 29569 From: Detroit, MI Registered: Jul 2002
good stuff it seems many had the idea that TASERs were basicly harmless, and had no long lasting effects
Tho, I certainly do not want to see this tool removed from service. do TASERs have a level setting on them?
No, Tasers have no way of changing the setting. They are supposed to be at a set level from the manufacturer. 50,000 volts is what they are supposed to emit. Although in Canada they found some in use emitting up to approximately 75,000 volts. I agree they should not be removed, but there needs to be a change in perception and application of this device. The device can be very useful when used in the right situation, but Im growing tired of seeing people getting TASERed when it was not necessary, especially given the apparent risk involved.
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12:34 PM
Old Lar Member
Posts: 13798 From: Palm Bay, Florida Registered: Nov 1999
I think that as more and more information comes out about electricity's effect on the human body we will learn how much more harmful tazers really are. Electricity is an integral part of our body's function. Electric shock theoropy "resets" the brain and can cause perminent changes. Lightning has been shown to cause perminent changes in people struck. I think we will find that tazers can have a perminent effect on our bodies too.
This is not to say that they should not be used. A blow from a night club to the head can have perminent effects too and a gun shot obviously has perminent effects. I agree with Nick in that it should be used a lot less than it currently is used and only when absolutely neccessary.
Sorry, call me old school or just plain cruel, but if your a criminal you get whats coming to you, if that is a taser or a slug, it makes no difference to me..
I think that as more and more information comes out about electricity's effect on the human body we will learn how much more harmful tazers really are. Electricity is an integral part of our body's function. Electric shock theoropy "resets" the brain and can cause perminent changes. Lightning has been shown to cause perminent changes in people struck. I think we will find that tazers can have a perminent effect on our bodies too.
This is not to say that they should not be used. A blow from a night club to the head can have perminent effects too and a gun shot obviously has perminent effects. I agree with Nick in that it should be used a lot less than it currently is used and only when absolutely neccessary.
exactly right. The whole point of my article to to educate and raise awareness. Just b/c something is dangerous, does not mean it should not be used. Its all about application. If I tell you to comply and you refuse passively, would it be ok for me to load a shotgun with a bean nag round and drop you? Of course not. Why it that so many people have this idea that juicing someone with 50,000 volts is any better? Its idiotic. If you are being violent, and pose a physical threat, not one is arguing against that. I make that clear in my argument. A cop who uses it as a compliance tool, like the officer who tasered the 72 year old women, that was un called for and complete abuse of the device.
The who argument "a TASER is better then a gun" is a moot point. no one is disputing that. You dont want the TASER used when a gun should be used either. So it must fit on the right slot of force. Which in my opinion is this, anytime an officer whould have to used hard physical force i.e. baton blows, then a TASER is appropriate.
Sorry, call me old school or just plain cruel, but if your a criminal you get whats coming to you, if that is a taser or a slug, it makes no difference to me..
what about the numerous cases of people who died after being hit for only being verbally disruptive? That's hardly criminal enough to warrant possible death or serious injury. What about the mentally ill who cant help them self. What about the many officers who were told the device was safe and to take a hit, and now they have life long injury, some requiring to end their career?
[This message has been edited by NickD3.4 (edited 01-07-2010).]
A more recent case is that of Utah man, 32year old Brian Cardall. Brian had a history of mental illness, while on a road trip from Arizona with his wife he became agitated. Brian had stripped his clothes off and began having an episode. His wife called for the police to come help detain him. When the police arrived they TASERED him, knocking Brian unconscious, he died shortly after at a nearby hospital. (Non-lethal weapon kills utah man2009).Brian’s wife was pregnant when he passed, leaving behind three children and a wife. Had the police been aware that the device may kill Brian, or if it was found that the mentally ill are more susceptible to the TASER, they almost certainly would have used another method (Non-lethal weapon kills utah man, 2009).
Non-lethal weapon kills utah man. (2009). Retrieved from
Originally posted by NickD3.4: what about the numerous cases of people who died after being hit for only being verbally disruptive?
do you have numbers? percentages?
quote
What about the mentally ill who cant help them self.
these people SHOULD be cared for by friends and family if not institutionalized
quote
What about the many officers who were told the device was safe and to take a hit, and now they have life long injury, some requiring to end their career?
again do you have numbers? percentages? I myself have never been "tazed" so i asked a close friend who is a reserve officer in clark county and was told "yes it hurts A LOT" , but the only injury to an officer to date from one (in Clark CO) was a twisted ankle from the loss of control.
comparatively do you (as an officer, or citizen) have access to the numbers of people injured during "restraint" nightstick/baton/pressure points. along with the numbers of officers injured learning the methods?
thanks for any info you can share =todd=
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03:55 PM
RockyBalboaLives Member
Posts: 329 From: Alantic Ocean RI USA Registered: Jun 2009
what about the numerous cases of people who died after being hit for only being verbally disruptive? That's hardly criminal enough to warrant possible death or serious injury. What about the mentally ill who cant help them self. What about the many officers who were told the device was safe and to take a hit, and now they have life long injury, some requiring to end their career?
again do you have numbers? percentages? I myself have never been "tazed" so i asked a close friend who is a reserve officer in clark county and was told "yes it hurts A LOT" , but the only injury to an officer to date from one (in Clark CO) was a twisted ankle from the loss of control.
comparatively do you (as an officer, or citizen) have access to the numbers of people injured during "restraint" nightstick/baton/pressure points. along with the numbers of officers injured learning the methods?
thanks for any info you can share =todd=
Obviously you didnt read the article, or you wouldn't ask the question. I am an officer that was injured by the TASER. I know two others it ruined their carrer. Here is more then enough info to get you started. this doesn't even scratch the surface. Hope it helps.
http://www.infowars.com/tas...ills-california-man/ Amnesty International said on Tuesday in a recent report that 334 people died in the United States between 2001 and August 2008 after being zapped with Tasers, with medical examiners and coroners concluding that Taser shocks caused, or contributed to, at least 50 of the deaths.
the following is from my article. You want percentages? TASER did keep records, but now they may be destroyed:
In 2007, Pamela Schrieiner, a former employee of TASER International, testified in an affidavit about her experience while working at TASER. Pamela stated in 2004 she was hired as an executive legal assistant for the executive team at TASER International. She states “I reported to Doug Klint, corporate counsel, rick Smith, CEO, and Tom Smith, the company’s president.” Pamela states she was assigned to organize a large number of volunteer exposure reports that were located in boxes scattered throughout the offices. Volunteer reports are documents filled out by police officers exposed to the effects of the TASER. Pamela states “while creating the spreadsheet, I became aware that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of injuries noted on the volunteer exposure reports”. According to Pamela, Doug Klint and Rick Smith became very upset at this. The company was under investigation by the Security and exchange Commission, and the Department of Justice concerning the safety of TASERS. Pamela states” Mr Klint and Mr. Smith told me to remove the data from the spread sheets for most of the injuries which I had entered. They then shredded most of the reports showing injuries, bringing in dumpsters to dispose of the paper. Many of the destroyed documents contained reports of injuries to the back”.
Pamela states that in late 2004 there was a meeting held about information being leaked to the media. TASER had hired some off duty police officers to investigate the issue. Pamela states she was accused of leaking information by the officers, and even though she claimed her innocence, she was forced to resign. Pamela says since leaving TASER International, she has been threatened by people hired by TASER. She states that people she has never met would come up to her in the grocery store, and tell her “it’s not a good idea testify against TASER”. Pamela ends her testimony by stating the following:
“Rick Smith, Tom Smith, and Doug Smith are responsible for hiding and covering up information on the extent of injuries to officers during TASER trainings. I know this because I was instructed to alter the spreadsheets and saw them destroy documents. Doug Klint told me that the lawsuits against TASER would go away because there would be no documents to prove that TASER knew that injuries were happening”.
[This message has been edited by NickD3.4 (edited 01-07-2010).]
Here is the exact point of my article. a classic case of a passively resistant suspect being subjected to a TASER. .A woman is ordered to complete several request by an officer. She is being argumentative, but is not assaulting the officer in anyway. He could easily use control tactics to detain here, but instead relies on the TASER.
Nick, the article was very interesting. I am becoming a fan of your work, please keep posting links.
thank you very much I appreciate that. I will. I do this to share my views, knowledge and opinion. Some people on here seem to think I make money lol. I should be so lucky. Im a disabled stay at home father with a police certificate that I cant use at the moment due to health problems.
