Posted on 06/15/2012 4:48:18 PM PDT by null and void
Police in Dorchester County, S.C., used a Taser on a nude 80-year-old woman after she allegedly attempted to attack police with her walking stick. WCSC reports that when police answered a complaint of someone making loud noises in the area, they were met by an elderly woman wearing no clothes on her porch, reportedly hitting the steps of her porch with her cane.
According to police, the woman, who spoke confusingly, began to swing her cane at the officers when police tried to take it away from the nude woman. As police continued to talk the woman out of swinging her cane at them, another officer used his Taser on the womans back. The woman was immediately transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment.
When police investigated the area, they discovered that the woman, a former tenant, had broken three windows at the property after the owner attempted to give the deposit back to the woman.
WCSC reports that no charges were filed against the woman despite the $250 worth of property damage.
He used his taser because that is how he was trained. He isn’t trained to use discretion or judgement.
If the suspect has a weapon (any weapon) and will not respond to commands then force must be applied.
If you have to “train” your officers to tell them “don’t tase the elderly”, you have a bigger problem than poor training.
If you have to be trained to know that your goal is to take the cane away from her without using a higher level of inappropriate force and calm her down, your problem isn’t lack of training.
Seems to me a lot of non-LEOs here have recognized this as a solution—without the “benefit” of LEO training.
“Evidently, they didnt know what else to do. Thats the cryin shame.”
Bull. Plenty of adults on this thread *know* tasing an 80 year old woman is NOT APPROPRIATE.
If an officer claims not to know it’s not appropriate, that is grounds for immediate dismissal.
I can buy that in certain age groups, but discretion is part of being a reasoned officer, and Tazering an 80 year old woman with a cane causes me to question if this officer is incapable of using good judgment. He sure damaged my ability to think so.
You make a reasoned point.
That’s another reasoned point. I agree.
If you get a Barney Fife type, you’ll get this sort of thing. Some folks aren’t suited for the work, and they should have been filtered out.
I don’t disagree with you.
On that note, any cop who tazes an 80 year old woman and cannot disarm her without resorting to that method needs a new backbone and a new set because what they have certainly doesn't work.
What's next, beating down mentally incompetents? Oh, right. That already happened in CA where the homeless man died from the beating.
Let’s be honest. What sane peace officer wants to wrestle a naked 80-year-old woman?
Ossifer Laz, at your, uh, service.
Oh wait, you said sane...
*nevermind*
It’s really a shame there’s not a “like” button on FR.
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