Posted on 11/23/2007 7:47:05 PM PST by Revtwo
STAT! is a U.S. campaign to curb law enforcement's use and abuse of Tasers and equip local organizers with tools to take action in their own communities. This website serves as a clearinghouse for individuals and communities concerned about Tasers and Taser International and the danger they pose to our safety and our human rights
LOL. Sorry can’t do that. I have .45 semi jacketed hollow points...8>)
Since we're comparing apples with oranges, I'm in law enforcement and no one offered me valium to inject into angry violent people.
Look for the whole video. Google Boynton Beach taser or do the same in YouTube.
Incident was throughly investigated, with four Black witnesses who were standing across the street as witnesses for the P.O.
Officer had three choices.
Pull her out of car and get hit in process. (Cops are not paid to fight people)
Use his baton.
Use Mace, then try to pull her out of car.
Use Taser.
Which was best alternative?
Remember, he had tried talking to her for 15 minutes and she was hitting other P.O.
But a crack head suspected in a property crime is probably not worth risking bodily harm. He will get his comeuppance under more favorable circumstances (to the police and to the public) in short order.
Running the risk of getting off topic but as far as not being worth getting hurt...sure. But if that property crime is also a felony observed by the officer and the suspect goes a runnin, I'm not just going to stand there with my finger up my nose. God forbid the "cops never do anything" crowd got wind of that. Its what I'm paid to do.
In my experience there was always something more to it when someone boogies from a stolen car, using that again as an example. More often than not they stick around if it's just a possession of stolen property. The ones with probation violations, felonious warrants, dope, felons with guns, gang members, combinations of some or all of the above...are the folks who rabbit. Vehicle pursuits though...fuhgetaboutit
Do you think the cops tazered themselves after Hurricane Katrina. They stole Cadillacs and had a shopping spree at Wal-Mart all the while disarming the public so they could not protect themselves. Very professional!!
I don't know what the difference is. They might have dope, guns, or warrants too. Guns I'm not particularly scared of, I usually have one or two myself. For dope, what they do to themselves shouldn't necessarily be the business of the state. As for warrants, most could have been settled peacefully by someone picking them up at home or at work months before an encounter on the street.
I'm not chiming in here to say I'm against Tasers or other stun guns because I'm not. Every person should be allowed to carry them as a defensive weapon, same as a firearm.
But since they are not nonlethal but only (mostly) nonlethal, their use simply to gain compliance of a person who is not an immediate danger would be, in my view, over the line.
It's a tough call, I must admit, but it's what you are paid to do. That whatever you do, someone isn't going to like, is a virtual guarantee.
No, I dont think those cops tazered themselves after Katrina. I spent over a week wading those flood waters of N.O., and cant say I witnessed any Officers tazering themselves. I am aware of some of the Officers there, that committed thefts. They were later arrested by other Officers, and prosecuted. So, all Officers are like that in your opinion obviously. Well I wouldn't want to argue with you on thinking that some low life former Officers in New Orleans that committed thefts is the tend of all Officers in the US. You apparently are not very bright.
Works for me. I'd opt for the firearm though.
I was talking about pursuing someone on foot as opposed to a car chase.
As for warrants, most could have been settled peacefully by someone picking them up at home
There is a very small percentage of fugtives who actually give their correct address, live at the same address when initially arrested, have an address and aren't staying out on the streets as transients. However it would be cool to have a team to just focus on hunting down warrants
So wait for backup, like us members of the public have to wait with a burglar downstairs. Of course if he goes for you...
The Taser does with technology what the locustwood stick used to, but doesn’t look so nasty on video. The big reason it is promoted by departments: less embarassment.
I will if the cops will.
I saw that video. This happened Sept. 14, and they still haven't completed the investigation. In other words, the cop got off. There are other tasered incidents, including where they tasered a 6 year old, an old woman in a wheelchair (10 times, and each taser lasted from 16-25 seconds...she died). About a dozen years ago, I received an accidental shock, when changing a fluorescent light bulb. Though the volts were few, I vomited several times. I cannot stand static electricity, let alone the volts in those taser guns. Some cops are just sicker than H. I'd rather get clubbed than tasered.
Why is there such a thing as a "crack head"?
Answer....we created them, then we created a mechanism to get rid of them, then we created "meth heads", then we created a mechanism to get rid of them.
Now we've created "cigarette heads" and a mechanism to get rid of them.
As soon as we have "lasagna heads", and we soon will, I'm going on a rampage.
You and me both
The baton, or stick, as an impact tool is considered a force option for assaultive suspects not active resistive as the taser is in so far as the policies I have to adhere to. However the taser can be considered for an assaultive person, moving up on the use of force scale.
"I would like to see everyone co-operate"(..i.e ...follow along like little sheep or you'll be tasered.)
Did you ever wonder why many people don't trust LEO's or tasers?
Police Use Taser On 12-Year-Old On School Bus
Taser-happy cops floor suicidal six-year-old
82-year-old Tasered by Chicago police
68 Year Old Grandmother Tasered In Ohio
Hmm.... big guys and their new toys
And then there is:Officer accidentally shocks self with Taser
These are just a few of MANY incidents.
AFAIC- you people are out of control. LEO's act as if everyone is guilty of a crime. You seem to think that the public is going to bend over and kiss you rear end and if we don't, we'll be tasered and arrested. If you want respect, earn it.
LOL!
Its really not that hard to defeat Tasers, one just has to use a certain type of clothing or light flexible body armor.
Granted Tasers are effective but it has gotten out of control, I would like to see more public information on how to defeat Taser attackers which are now increasing from the other side of the law, its not to prevent law enforcement but the growing use of criminals using Tasers,
Course then we could just level the playing field and become a polite armed society.
I wouldn't recommend trying that philosophy if you are part of a scene an Officer is trying to control. The experience would be a little different than being a cyber tough-guy on an internet forum. I would like to see everyone co-operate and get through through the scene without incident.
I must say that I am a little disappointed by the LEOs in this thread, including you. What you suffer from is an unnecessary sense of urgency. Unless you are in a riot, there is plenty of time to deal with someone who is uncooperative, which does not include the use of a taser. I'll give you a hint: find a force matrix. We used to carry them around in the Navy behind our base IDs. I'm sure if you call a local Armed Forces Recruiter, they can help give you an education. We have troops driving down the streets of Baghdad who understand when to escalate force. Why can't our cops in Podunk, Illinois understand this? This isn't rocket science.
You have way too large of an ego to be a safe LEO. I honestly don't care if it takes 15 minutes to calm someone down verbally or if you have to call in another officer for assistance: only use a taser to prevent injury to yourself or others or to prevent property damage. Being trigger happy because you are uneasy is no excuse. This is the kind of thinking that makes cops taser grandmas, nonviolent motorists, and unconcious bus passengers.
Another feeling I get from reading this thread is that the LEOs here think that they outrank civilians. Wrong! It is the opposite. While civilians don't have any authority to give an individual LEO a command, the LEO (like anybody in the military) must give them proper respect. The only authority a LEO has over a civilian is as defined by law, not some problem with their bruised egos. If a civilian is disrespectful to a LEO, then the LEO better suck it up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.