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Posted on 12/29/2005 7:59:33 AM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
Unless you have sworn off television sets over the holidays, you have probably seen Monday's tense standoff in New Orleans that ended with a knife-wielding suspect being gunned down by the police. The camera reveals only so much of this tragic event, though my first thought was how differently this situation could have turned out if the cops has been armed with Tasers (Nasdaq: TASR) instead of handguns. The traditional media approached the story from sensationalist angles. Did the officers overreact? Were their lives being threatened? Could New Orleans survive yet another black eye?
I live in Miami. It's a Taser town. I have read about cops sedating a school child who was cutting himself in the principal's office with shards of glass from a picture frame he had smashed to bits. The media played it off as an abuse of force, but if you dig into the finer details of the case, you find a situation that could have been far more heinous if a Taser hadn't been discharged. Tasers aren't toys. However, deadly cases involving a Taser being discharged in the act of policing have been rare. For the New Orleans police force, which was just starting to live down a separate (and non-fatal) confrontation caught on film three months ago, a Taser may be as good a response as possible in a city looking for answers.
Financially speaking, Taser's had a rough year. But like its weaponry, the results haven't been lethal. The company remains profitable. Next year, it's looking to earn $0.13 a share on a 31% spurt in revenue. Tasers aren't perfect. But, with my apologies to the Smith & Wesson (AMEX: SWB) fan base of investors, they are certainly a more effective form of suppressing suspects than firing a round in their general direction. Taser is a Rule Breakers pick even though it certainly hasn't lived up to its billing as an ultimate growth stock at this point. Some of the stocks that have been discussed in the newsletter service's active forum for subscribers include other defense-oriented technology stocks such as Ionatron (Nasdaq: IOTN), with its laser-guided directed-energy weapons, and Metal Storm (Nasdaq: MTSX), with its electric-powered ability to fire stackable bullets.
Still, through feast and famine, Taser has been the face of non-lethal weaponry. The company has been busy trying to clear its good name by issuing favorable press releases and suing media companies that don't get the facts straight. Maybe this would be a good time for Taser to make a public appeal to New Orleans, offering to arm a precinct or two with Tasers. It would be a great way for two distressed entities to win their way back into the media's good graces. Pardon the pun, but it's at least worth a shot. Want to learn more about Rule Breakers investing? Kick the tires for a month as part of a free trial subscription. Fools, now is the time to open your hearts and wallets to worthy causes! Please support our five Foolish charities at www.foolanthropy.com.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz lives in Miami, which really is a Taser town. He does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.
When the cop says drop the knife, drop the knife.
But why?
"I WANNA LIVE!!!!!!!!" (said like a b-movie actress)
Not just other prisoners. Don't forget this case
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1547746/posts
Tasers are a good option. Another one is an attack dog.
Its hard to believe New Orleans hasn't got one.
The military is working on an entire spectrum of non-lethal technology, some of which is already available.
There is no reason it shouldn't be shared with law-enforcement.
There is a place for the use of lethal force - to protect oneself from attack, protect another innocent person from attack or to stop a fleeing violent offender. I didn't see any of these criteria met in New Orleans.
Yeah, call me old fashioned, but if police drew their weapons on me, I would start giving them reasons not to shoot me. If they said drop the knife, I would DROP the knife. This isn't rocket science, you don't bring a knife to a gun fight.
If he had been Tasered, he would have eventually killed someone.
IIRC, Rodney King was tasered and he ended up with what, 7 million bucks or there abouts?
A lot of people are overlooking something critical in this incident. In New Orleans, all the cops are equipped with Tasers, but the city has not been able to afford electricity for them since Hurricane Katrina. Both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin have sought assistance from FEMA, but FEMA refuses to help because Rove told FEMA to send all the electricity to Texas and Florida instead.
I like Tasers,
Tasers like me.
Those Tasers are full
of electricity!!!
Give 'em a zap.
Shoot 'em cop team.
Shock 'em once more,
let's hear 'em scream!
Better than a gun,
it ain't no lie.
Drop him with a Taser,
gotta make him fry.
When you have to stop
a punk in the field,
always use a Taser
when they fail to yied.
You'll solve it all fast,
You'll bring peace to town.
The folks will all cheer,
when the thugs go to ground.
Rodney King was tasered and he ended up with what, 7 million bucks or there abouts?
Tase me, honey! ;-)
That ol' boy's a little slow on the uptake.
As soon as the author suggested that cops have Tasers INSTEAD of guns - as opposed to having them in addition to guns - I knew he was a dip--.
Web site:
What's that old adage about bringing a knife to a gunfight?
Amen!
Treat the Police Officer with respect and you get it back.
Five years ago I was in a left hand turn lane with a car from Ohio. Being from OH, I was trying to see what county they were from. As they turned so did I. Apparently, the light had turned red when I went through. Lights came up behind me.
When I pulled into a driveway, I burst into tears. I was five weeks pregnant and emotional. The officer was so sweet, asked if I was okay, offered to get me a drink of water and did his job.
Later, I wrote a note with the fine stating that although I believe that I did not go through a red light, I sent in the fine and stated how wonderful the officer was.
No points went on my licence. WooHoo!!
Respect these officers. They have a tough job.
For folks with certain neurological problems, "drop the knife" sometimes can result in a mule-like stupid refusal. If you had a loved one with such a problem (a person who is not dangerous in any way) this is a great worry. Please believe me, I'm serious. I'd rather have a loved one who is "acting out" or suffering a meltdown in public get Tasered than get shot to death.
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