Tasers, again
I have contended before that issuing police Tasers and other probably-not-lethal devices would result in using these devices when they weren’t absolutely necessary. In Nashville, that seems to be what is happening:
A Tennessean review of police reports for the first seven people shocked with Tasers since 45 stun guns were distributed to officers on the streets of Nashville last month, showed that:
All seven were black men between the ages of 17 and 32.
Five were unarmed.
Only two of the men were accused of fighting or threatening to strike officers before they were shocked.
One man was shocked while already in handcuffs.
The Tennessean concludes that in five of seven cases the suspect was not violent. Police officials would be well advised to create a standard for use, like they do with deadly force. I am not saying that the criteria for Taser use should be the same for deadly force but that a set of guidelines would prevent abuse of these devices. Tasering a suicidal 6 year old is inexcusable.
