They used to have mace and these night sticks. There is also pepper spray. But you used to have to have more than a fourth grade education to be a police officer. There has been a lowering of standards across the board throughout the country.
Tasers can be lethal. It should not be routine when there are other options and it is not a real life-threatening situation.
Were there other adult men in the store? Anyone with defensive line football training? Or, say, linebacker? Mike Curtis demonstrated how to deck a punk once. They might add that to the training films.
Basic survival skill: when the law arrives slacker punks should not resist because, even if it is not a WWF fourth grade dropout who likes to show his girlfriend his gun, they might get tasered for half a minute and die. There are abnormal people who experience a sexual thrill from administering taser shocks so that is something to look out for as well. Usually these are the same ones who are too eager to pull over female speeders in traffic and carry an extra set of handcuffs. It takes people different ways.
BINGO
A well trained police officer could have taken this kid down without useing a taser,instead now the kids dead. Bad thing to kill somebody just for being a stupid twit,even worse to justify it.
True. Most "less-lethal" weapons can be used in a lethal manner. On many departments, "lethal" includes using any weapon in a manner that can produce both death or serious bodily injury. No one weapon, less-lethal or not, should be a cure-all for any situation. There are times when just using your "defensive tactics" skills are all that's required.