Is it legal to taze a child?

Question

If the child is a runaway child, and you are a Philadelphia police-officer trying to reunite the child with their parents? And they are biting and kicking and struggling? I need this for a book I'm writing, I want my book to be accurate. Thank you so much! :-)

Answer 1

Its legal but not avisable. Most departments have a policy regarding the use of tasers, impact weapons and of course, firearms and the use of deadly force.

You can obtain a copy of the department's policy for the application and use of a taser by asking them for it under Freedom of Information. You will have to pay something like 50 cents a page but it is available to you.

Also, if you check with the manufacturer's off these weapons, they also have recommended standards for their use.

Answer 2

Tasers are often used as an alternative to attacking the suspect with a baton or shooting him with firearms both of which have a much higher chance of serious injury and death than the taser, even using the highest estimates of possible taser-related deaths.

While they are not technically considered lethal, some authorities and non-governmental organizations question both the degree of safety presented by the weapon and the ethical implications of using a weapon that some, such as Amnesty International, allege is inhumane. As a result, a number of civil liberties groups would like to see tasers banned.

The fact that a death occurred following use of a taser does not necessarily indicate the taser was the cause or death or even a contributing factor, as many of the deaths occurred in people with serious medical conditions and/or severe drug intoxication, often to the point of excited delirium.

The internal circuits of most electroshock weapons are fairly simple, either based on an oscillator, resonant circuit and step-up transformer or diode-capacitor voltage multipliers to achieve the continuous, direct or alternating high-voltage discharge may be powered by one or more 9 V battery depending on manufacturer, and model.

Based upon the facts above, you are talking about a non-lethal weapon that when used is by far a better option than a baton or firearm.

A biting, kicking, and struggling "youth" can inflict just as much injury as an adult. The key to the issue is "restraint" and proper protocol by the officer prior to using the equipment.

I think I can handle a six year old child without resorting to tazer use. However, older teens can often pose a problem with even the healthiest officers therefore if the situation arose...I'd rather taze than use a baton or firearm.

Best wishes.

Answer 3

Well apparently the "child" is old enough to runaway so he/she is probably old enough to get tazed but we're talking about fifty thousand volts! That's what i heard a police officer say. The officer tazed a 350lb guy and brought him to the floor screaming. I think it depends, if the police officer can't handle the person then go ahead i would.

Answer 4

I used to be a hospital security officer and I took custody of a 16 yr old from the police. The guy was drunk and crazy so the cops tazed him 3 times. He's not technically a child I guess but he was a minor. The police acted within thier rights when they did it.

Answer 5

How old was the kid? Check the Bad Cop No Donut website. the show is out of production but the site still on the net. He did several stories about tasers, including children being tasered. All I remember is that some got sued. I know for a fact that 2 years ago a Hixton WI cop peppered sprayed a group of 4-8 year olds during a July 4th parade in Hixton because they sprayed him with squirt gun from the float they were on and he kept his job because it was his discretion and their disorderly conduct.

Answer 6

There was some 12 year old girl that got tazed a few years ago. There was a huge uproar over it, but it was considered the proper action, since she was so violent during the incident that she was a danger to herself and her mother, as well as the officers at the scene.
I can't remember the year or any other details, sorry.

Answer 7

i think it depends on the child.....nobody should taze a 2 year old but if the child is 16 or 17 or so and they were kicking and biting a police officer then yes they should use the tazer

Answer 8

only if you want to get a cheap thrill...lol

Do you know the age of the individual before you taze them? Assume for example, that you stop a car on the street and the driver becomes aggressive, and you are forced to use the minimum amount of force to subdue them, and after tazing them, you find out that the person is a child (minor). Would you later be found guilty of a charge? I doubt it.

Answer 9

As is the case of any TASER usage, the standard here would be: was the officer's or someone else's safety in jeopardy or not. If the officer could articulate how his (or another's) safety was being threatened, then he will be justified in using the TASER. If the officer could have subdued the child safely without the TASER, then it's usage would not be justifiable.

Answer 10

I suppose it depends how big and strong the 'child' is. As a general rule the police can use 'all reasonable force in the circumstances'. That is the law in England & Wales anyway.