---The purpose of the taser is to give a police officer an alternative to the use of deadly force when an individual is threatening. ---
It's also to give the police an alternative to wretling around on the ground with a psycopath that might gouge out one of their eyes, grab their weapon, or bite them and infect them with aids. How much risk should a cop be exposed to, in order not to appear "too mean"?
Watch the video. This nutjob was yelling at the top of his voice when they tried to move him out of the library, before they went for the taser. What were they supposed to do, just stand around? Call in a negotiator?
"DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T TOUCH ME!"
You are right, of course. I was generalizing--each situation presents its own unique set of challenges and calls for the officer's best judgment at that time. I have not watched the video and didn't mean to imply that these officers didn't use their best judgment. What bothers me is that there are way too many here on Free Republic whose reaction to any story such as this is always, "Taze the crap out of him!". Sometimes that's the best way to go, sometimes not.