Good Morning! I would like to remind people that potentially deadly tasers are killing thousands of unarmed Americans each year, and very few people are talking about it. It's a serious issue in American law enforcement. Tasers are not harmless tools of deterrence the way they're being marketed.My last taser post was reprinted in the Chicago Sun-Times and circulated across multiple blogs. It is a serious issue that more Americans need to be aware of, despite our national support of law enforcement. To reiterate, TASERS CONTINUE TO KILL UNARMED PEOPLE and must be categorized as a weapon of last resort. It's clear that police should not be allowed to use them to control UNARMED American citizens.
A young man in San Jose, California died yesterday after being jolted with a taser. Local police report that he represents the sixth taser death since the department began using the stun guns in 2004. That represents a very high "accident" number for a small urban police force.
In his 20s, he was supposedly in a "struggle with two officers" when they tried to arrest him in the backyard of a home late Wednesday. "The struggle was very, very violent to get him into custody," said police spokesman Mike Sullivan. "Some time during the struggle, the officers did deploy a taser."
Officers don't know whether an individual has a heart condition, or taken drugs thus weakening their condition. A taser is always potentially deadly unless you know the medical condition of the subject. They may as well use defibrillators to stop a heart, since the idea is almost the same. Suspects are still innocent until proven guilty in America; they should not be exposed to such a risky device.
How about lassos, laughing gas, or anything else that doesn't risk death? There must be alternatives. Let's get creative people!
Law enforcement is being sued, but still taser abuse is increasing. Taser MURDERS increase annually too. Law enforcement must be subject to community oversight. It's tools and weapons must be debated. I hope people reading this blog will take some time to examine the issue, and consider writing to your local newspaper, police, politician or oversight groups before more people die.
Friday's Political Rant/Call to Action #1 - Michael
PS - The Canadians just tightened their rules governing the use of tasers. We Americans need to consider doing the same. Read The Star for more information.
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7 comments:
“Officers don't know whether an individual has a heart condition, or taken drugs thus weakening their condition
How about lassos, laughing gas, or anything else that doesn't risk death? There must be alternatives. Let's get creative people!”
What you are saying is for the officers to take the suspect in and get a physical exam before TASERING THEIR ASS. I have a novel idea how about making it a requirement of the parents and school system to teach these STREET URCHINS a little respect and responsibility so they can become a respected member of society.
The policeman has no idea as to whether they are armed or jacked up on some drugs when they confront them, put yourself in the place of the officer and one of these gangsters is coming at you, you are going to do what is necessary to protect yourself and the other officers involved, like I said above if respect and responsibility was taught in the home and schools 90% of these incidents would never happen.
The Barney Fifes who are afraid to pull out their guns can now be big men by pulling out their tasers. It should come as no surprise to anyone that this is the end result.
JollyRoger you probably would be the first one to cry if you needed one of the Barney Fifes and they didn't show.
Let me correct one point here, San Jose California has more population in it's borders than the entire state of Alaska and that isn't including about eight other towns it shares borders with.
They were shooting people dead twenty years ago at an alarming rate and were considered to be out of control.
With that being said, I absolutely agree that tazers are killing way, way too many people.
Tazers have somehjow been downgraded to a non lethal response that has gone up in use exponentially in the last ten years and proved that notion horribly wrong.
The incidents of people in custody being tazered multiple times while being in restraints is shocking.
One more symptom of Law Enforcement believing they are all powerful with absolutely no fear of their actions being scrutinized and having any real consequences.
Anon - Nobody's saying the police don't do a great job. Unlike you, we're just willing to ask questions about the tools they use to do their jobs. Questions that could result in saving your life one day. Open your mind for God's sake. There's nothing wrong with asking questions and getting the facts. Stop being so defensive. MB
The Canadians just tightened their rules on how to use tasers. We Americans need to do the same. Read more at: http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/586916. MB
"Anon - Nobody's saying the police don't do a great job. Unlike you, we're just willing to ask questions about the tools they use to do their jobs."
Boh I'm sure you are like a lot of the other whiners, if you ever needed a policeman you probably would give a shit less what tool he/she used as long as they protected you.
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