TASER is an electro-muscular disruption weapon, which causes involuntary muscle contraction that cause temporary incapacitation. Its five-second discharge stuns the criminal for long enough to cuff him/her. The electricity in the TASER flows over the skin’s surface, not through internal organs. Which means it cannot stop the heart. The TASER X26 is the only instrument to revolutionize an aspect of policing in the past thirty-five years.
The technology is a non-lethal weapon, meaning it cannot kill. The category of non-lethal weapons includes pepper spray and the baton. (A gun would be in lethal weapon category)
So why is the media reporting so many TASER involved deaths?
The media is reporting on misrepresentations and sensationalistic innuendo. To clear up most confusions: If you were to die from electric shock by a TASER you would die within seconds of being shot, this means if you died 5 – 10 minutes later, even an hour later, you will have not died by electric shock.
• Most deaths were ruled drug related, including “excited delirium”
• Most occurred during transport or at the hospital
• Most involved subjects demonstrating extremely erratic and bizarre behaviour
• Most have occurred hours to days after actual TASER device applications
• Most deaths were ruled out as not TASER related by medical examiners
(From TASER International’s “State of the Union” by Steve Tuttle)
This controversy about TASER deaths and misuse has come to the forefront of media frenzy. We have heard all the myths of electric shock, and heart stops, but we haven’t heard any good news about the TASER technology.
It allows an officer to arrest a criminal without being injured in the process. They also can be tracking to see the exact time in which a cartridge was deployed It also is safer to the criminal as the alternative to a TASER would be pepper spray, baton or even a gun.
Any use of force carries an inherent risk of danger. Use of force is not risk free and there is no magic “no-kill” weapon. However, TASER is among the safest and most affective force for the officers, especially when the TASER lowers death in both the police and the civilian.
I guess it is really up to the reader to have their own opinion on subjects like these. However, my advice is to read the cold facts, not the misrepresentations or innuendo.
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