The Taser Debate

[Sarah G]

That is interesting information about the cops who refuse to be tase are more likely to tase another person. I'd like to see that documented, verified and entered into the record.

As I understand it, cops who are not shot during firearms training are much more likely to shoot someone too.

LOL.

Yeah, I'd be willing to go out on a limb and say that's probably true even without any metrics to support it, too.

Let me venture another guess.

I'm betting that cops who refused to be hanged by the neck are more likely to hang people by the neck than that cops who experienced that event in hanging by the neck training.

Likely true.

 

[editec]

It amazes me that so many people want to live in anarchy.

Only anarchy (which they like to call individual freedom) for themselves, of course.

For everyone else they want cops on the beat, judges on the bench and turnkeys in the prisons.

 

[KittenKoder]

It amazes me that so many people want to live in anarchy.

Only anarchy (which they like to call individual freedom) for themselves, of course.

For everyone else they want cops on the beat, judges on the bench and turnkeys in the prisons.

True, unless the cop is directly protecting them, then the system is against them ... it's sad if you really think about it.

 

[Citizen]

Interesting fact is that according to some internal investigation, most of the officers who involved with "TASER abuse" cases, are the one who refused to be tased at TASER training course.

FYI for the outsider, most police departments require their officers to pass the TASER training course, if they want to carry a TASER in the field. I think that's a great policy. However, in the training course, there is section where trainees would volunteer to be tased. Although the instructor highly recommends that, not all trainees would volunteer for the experience. And it happens that, those that didn't volunteer are the one most often end up abusing the use of TASER.

I can tell you from my personal experience, once you have been tased, you will never use the TASER lightly. It is a extremely painful experience. You would definitely think twice before using it on someone.

To regroup, TASER no doubt is a great product which can save life in many situations. There are profession training courses in place to educate the user. Why can't the department require the officer to be tased just like they require them to be spray before carrying a pepper spray?

The problem is not the product, it is the user. We need to focus on regulation on the training requirement and use, not a debate on the product. Anything can be lethal when it is use inappropriately and excessively.

Good post.

The TASER is just a tool that can be used for good or bad depending upon the user.

 

[Citizen]

It amazes me that so many people want to live in anarchy.

Only anarchy (which they like to call individual freedom) for themselves, of course.

For everyone else they want cops on the beat, judges on the bench and turnkeys in the prisons.

One of my favorite quotes can sum up our individual freedoms.

"Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual."
Thomas Jefferson

 

[Sweet Willy]

I don't think anyone is arguing for anarchy.

I would go out on a limb though and say that when we have reached the point of using police as a tool to collect fines, which is now a multi million dollar business, something has gone a bit wrong somewhere.

FORT WORTH — The city has failed to collect $167 million in traffic fines over the past five years — 57 percent of the court system’s potential revenue — according to figures released this week.

Fort Worth fails to collect millions in traffic fines | News | Star-Telegram.com

The entire mind set that traffic fines are a revenue source for the court is appauling to me. It only gets more appauling that we're tasing people now at routine traffic stops. Maybe we'll just start sending the cops door to door, demand revenue for the court and if you don't want to hand it over, you'll get tased.