Taser control
Police departments say the evidence is clear. Study after study indicates high-voltage Tasers are “less lethal” than other weapons, and that’s why they use them, officers say. Some departments defend their use by saying Tasers aren’t lethal at all.
But when a Taser is in the hands of a private citizen, that can be a different story. “They can be used as a deadly weapon,” Porter County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brian Gensel said.
Civilians who buy these electrical guns should not expect the same freedom to use them that officers have. It’s illegal for civilians to possess and use the weapons in seven states and several major cities, including Chicago.
Yes, because the police are infallible in their use of Tasers.
May 16th, 2005 at 5:37 pm
I was watching a VH1 special on the television program “COPS” (yeah, yeah, I know…) and an interesting thing came up. One of the people being interviewed was a cop (surprise!) but he was talking about the spectrum of force that officers use. First level is mere “official presence.” Second level is spoken orders. Third level, as he described it, was the use of physical force – AND THE USE OF A TASER WAS CONSIDERED “THIRD LEVEL.” That is, below the use of a baton or nightstick, and well below the use of “lethal” force involving a firearm.
THIRD level? No wonder cops all over the country are shocking the shit out of people for disobeying orders.