My thanks to Redbulltj, NE_Utah, and XT Utah for their responses.
I apologize for not providing sufficient proof to satisfy Redbulltj, but the point of those two "silly" articles was not to prove my case. They were to respond to NE_Utah's original challenge of providing facts where Tasers have been involved in deaths (or did you not even bother to read the original post before attacking me?).
My point was, and is, that Tasers do have an element of danger to them and ought to be used with caution.
Does anyone remember the good old days when all an officer had with them was their wheel gun, some hand cuffs, and a night-stick?
Then along came OC/Pepper spray and the race was on to find more "less lethal" technology. Tasers are the latest in this quest to provide officers with "less lethal" technology that will protect the officer and/or make their jobs easier.
I'm all for protecting those who protect us, but I do not like the crutch mentality that has popped up in law enforcement recently.
Here is a test: think of the tools that the standard police officer takes with him/her to work every day.
What did you come up with?
Gun
Knife
Baton/Asp
Taser
Cuffs
Gloves
Radio
OC/Pepper spray
Bullet-proof vest
Light
feel free to add to, or take away from as you wish, but did anyone think to add "BRAIN" to that list?
Take the UHP Tasing incident in Vernal:
Did this officer use his head in the situation? Did he know who this kid was? Did he know what he was like? Did he know that he was just some spoiled punk who didn't pose a real threat to his safety?
I don't know the answers to these questions, but I'm sure there are some here who do.
Now, was the taser used to protect the safety of the officer or others, or was the taser used because this idiot wouldn't do what the officer told him to do?
Was the taser used because the officer had cold hands, or hot ears?
Was it used out of fear or anger?
The usage of the taser was proper, but was it necessary?
Did the officer use his head in the situation?
Or this:
An officer responds AGAIN to a DV call. The officer doesn't like the family, and states in his report that the family is difficult, and one girl in particular is "out of control, disruptive, and disrespectful."
So the officer is told this 15 year old girl has attacked someone AGAIN . . . he shows up and puts her into custody for the alleged assault, even though her parents are telling the cop that nothing happened, and that he needs to let her go.
IS THIS A PROBLEM?
The cop puts the girl into cuffs and starts leading her away, but the mother is still holding onto the girls arm, and tells her husband to come give the girl a hug before she is taken away.
The father takes a step to give his daughter a hug, and the cop yanks the little girl off the porch, dragging the mother off the porch. The cop then claims that the mother pushed him, and arrests her and the father.
Does it make matters worse if I say that the 15 year old is mentally handicapped, and that the officer knew this BEFORE responding?
Did this cop use his head?
His actions were deemed appropriate, but DID HE USE HIS HEAD!?!?!?!?
When the cop in the above incident responded he KNEW that the mother had already called a crisis intervention line to get help with her daughter. He knew that the alleged victim was just fine, and he knew that the daughter was under control (the girl can fly off the handle at times, and has violent tendencies, but she was calm and under control when he showed up).
Again, I think it is fantastic that we have the technology to provide all of our officers with Tasers. They really are a great alternative to other means of force.
There is nothing worse than having to maim someone, or even worse, take someone's life.
I think that the taser is a great gift to us all because of the alternatives it opens up.
BUT:
Tasers can be dangerous.
I don't care how slight the dangers are, ANY AND ALL DANGERS MUST BE CONSIDERED AND ACCOUNTED FOR!!!
When you deploy a taser, are you fully aware of the medical condition of the suspect?
Do you know if the person has a medical condition which would make the taser deployment fatal?
Do you think it is the safest thing to introduce electrical currents into your body?
The taser is a very safe and effective alternative, BUT IT IS NOT 100% SAFE!
THAT is a fact.
I think it is great that our officers, and others, are trained in the use of tasers, but what I would LOVE to see is some good ole' fashioned training that teaches officers to use their heads, and not rely on crutches.
Tasers and OC/Pepper spray have become crutches to many in law enforcement, and it frustrates me to see people singing the praises of these new technologies while they seem to ignore the old fashioned technique of using one's head and deeming if the battle really is worth fighting.
Going back to the Vernal UHP incident:
The use of the Taser was proper according to the UHP's guidelines, but was it necessary?
Could the situation have been avoided?
Would more training have helped the officer learn that there are other more effective alternatives (like writing refused to sign on the ticket and letting the kid go)?
It does scare me that so many officers are unaware of the dangers these tools pose, or worse yet, are unconcerned with these dangers because of the slight risk they carry.
I don't care how slight the risk is, if there is a risk people should be well aware of and fully appreciate what the risk is and the dangers it imposes.
It also scares me that so many are using these new and wonderful tools as a crutch and/or substitution for using their heads.
A suspect refuses to comply with an order. Does the officer swallow his pride and be patient with the suspect until he/she complies, or does the officer get angry and deploy their Taser or OC/Pepper spray?
That's my point, and that is what scares me.
My apologies if I did not state this clearer in my first post, or if I failed to provide sufficient proof to meet the heavy burden of stating my opinion about something.
P.S. May I echo Catherine's sentiments:
To all officers: please read over your reports before submitting them!
Read them out loud, and see if they make sense before submitting them!
Some of these reports are truly painful to read.
