Canada Leads by Regulating Deadly Tasers

Hello Readers! Canada has taken a bold step to regulate the use of Tasers, so now America must investigate and do the same. Law enforcement safety is important, but so are people's lives.

In a recent shocking story - like many across North America - the Royal Canadian Mounted Police pinned down Robert Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant, and stunned him several times at the Vancouver Airport. The officers claimed Mr. Dziekanski was trying to attack them with a "stapler."

He died from the Taser blast. His death led Canadian police to tighten up procedures NATIONWIDE for the use of Tasers on suspects resisting arrest. Canadians now consider Tasers a deadly weapon, and police use them only as a last resort.

Police officers are gambling with innocent lives every day now thanks to Tasers. It's a common occurrence on the streets of America. They are being adopted as standard crowd control weapons worldwide, and Taser deaths are considered "accidents" by most police forces - it borders on government criminality. The law enforcement community is obviously in denial. They need to regulate NOW! It's a BIG problem, and people should be more concerned about it.

People are not cattle! Our lives should not be gambled away at the hand's of some random thoughtless or rash police officer.

I will continue my crusade until more Americans wake up and acknowledge that our police are armed with DEADLY Tasers, which they use far too easily. They are killing innocent Americans - unarmed, innocent until proven guilty, Americans. Law enforcement needs to return to the heavy lifting, and secure suspects the old fashioned way.

Taser deaths should be highlighted in local press as examples of police abuse, and officers should pay a penalty for killing innocent, unarmed people. The police should not be above the law. Like firearms, Tasers should be considered a weapon of last resort.

Tuesday's Political Rant #1 - Michael

Tasers are Killing Unarmed Americans

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.