The News-Press has an interesting article on police tasering in Southwest Florida. As opposed to its intended use, which is stopping short of deadly force; most people get tasered for not listening:
No longer reserving Tasers for hulking criminal suspects with murder on their minds, authorities are using the powerful stun guns on drunks, mental patients, suicidal women and argumentative men of all races, even teens and adults in their 60s, according to 407 Lee County sheriff's and Cape Coral and Fort Myers police reports involving the weapons. In Cape Coral alone — the sole agency in Lee keeping such statistics — use of Tasers rose 1,000 percent from 2002 to 2004.
Local police say they are expanding its use because it works better than batons and doesn't break any bones. Critics say it's a new toy and police are taser-happy.
I'm inclined to the taser-happy theory, myself. They've been used on some people upon whom by no stretch of the imagination they would have used a baton.
Tasers probably do save lives. Right now though, I think they're being over-used in piddly confrontations that don't warrant them.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has recently gotten a huge shipment of tasers and the debate over their use has begun here, too.
My only association with them is in watching "Cops" occasionally. It seems to me that the police are quick to use them when, otherwise, they would take a period of time to talk the person down.
Posted by: Juan Paxety at February 28, 2005 02:36 PMI don't doubt that they are over-used, but I wouldn't want to take them away from cops who use them only when necessary.
Situations in which tasers are correctly and appropriately used - those that are not life-threatening - would usually otherwise require beating the person senseless oe unconcious.
Posted by: John from WuzzaDem at February 28, 2005 05:20 PMIf y'all don't want a zap,
don't give 'em no crap.
True, Paul. Still, I think they can handle whatever crap an elementary school kid can dish out without having to zap them.
John, I'm not saying take them away. I'm with Juan here- they're using them when time and people skills would suffice. Like the blind old lady out in Oregon- they weren't going to club her. They tasered her, though. And the little kids here in SE Florida- no way they'd have brought out the nightstick. Used a stun-gun on them though.
It's a little excessive, and it's something that bothers me. I would never ever do it myself, but I think the average citizen, not a criminal, should be able to mouth off at or argue with a peace officer without getting tasered.
Seems to me a clear case of "Got me a shiny new hammer here; gee, that looks like a nail" syndrome.
If you feel different, tell me. It's just something that jumps out at me in the news and makes me feel very uncomfortable. They're given the tools of force and they have to use them wisely. I've only fussed at a cop once, and that was because the dispatcher din't pick up until the 16th ring. His response was to be a mountain of impassivity that left me with no where to go with my irritation. Them's people skills!
I never get to taser anybody who mouths off at me and I'm feeling kind of jealous.
Capsicum spray's better, you not only get convulsions but projectile vomiting as well (makes the squad car a bit messy though).
Out here we could do with a taser that's hooked up to the mains.
Posted by: PB at March 1, 2005 01:55 AMYou better check that attitude in case they come up with a way to zap people over the phone.
Posted by: John from WuzzaDem at March 1, 2005 03:05 PM