Are officers too quick to fire Tasers?

Question

http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?id=12411&siteSection=1
Another man, William Roman, was shot with nine rounds of electrical ammunition last month outside an Orlando night club. His "criminal" act was disorderly conduct and one false move may have cost him his eyesight, according to Problem Solver Wendy Saltzman.
One of the men featured in the report, Antonio Adams, said he felt like a hunted animal after being shot three times with Tasers by police.

"I felt like I was going to die, you hear me. I was supposed to die that day," Adams said. "When I tried to get up he was like, 'Tase him, Tase him.' and when the next Taser came the next Taser hit me in the temple. Police brutality, that's what I'm screaming."
Most officers have used their Tasers only once or twice. But three of the top Orlando police officers have used their weapons a combined total of 77 times, in just the last 13 months.

Officer Johnathan Cute tops the list with 35 Tasing incidents, according to the report.

In Orange County, the top three "Taser" cops have used their weapons a total of 59 times.

Local 6 News discovered that the use of force against suspects in Orlando have nearly doubled in the last 14 months since Tasers were issued to police. And even though officers were using more force, they arrested fewer suspects.



Police injuries did decrease significantly, but suspect injuries stayed the same.
Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, to propose a bill that would restrict the use of Tasers to firing only at violent or threatening lawbreakers.

"I was hearing reports of Tasing for jaywalking, a 75-year-old woman, a 5-foot, 100-pound high school girl — by a 200-pound officer," he said. "I know she may have a big mouth, but was it necessary to Tase her?"

His bill died in committee May 6, but Siplin said plans are moving ahead for a state-sponsored study of the effects of Tasers on people with cardiac, neurological and respiratory conditions, and on people taking drugs.

"You shouldn't be killed for being on drugs. You've got to take the subject the way you find him."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/05/29/m1a_TASER_0529.html

"Cops now approach suspects with a completely hands-off investigative technique. They used to have to talk with people, do some real police work. Now it's ‘do what we say or we'll Taser you.' The cops are way over the top in their use of these things despite what they tell you. A lot of them are just plain Taser-happy. And the police policies justify that approach." In Seattle, a 16-year-old was tasered four times on the back of the neck when the car in which he was a passenger was stopped for a faulty headlight. Police decided to frisk the youngster outside the car because they claimed he "made furtive movements in the back seat," and tasered him repeatedly when he resisted being searched. In Kansas City, MO, a 66-year-old African American woman was tasered twice in her home after she resisted being handed a ticket for honking her car horn at a police car.

Answer 1

The only time tasering someone multiple times should be considered is if after the first taser it didn't phase the person. A person on meth would probably require three tasers, but it is still highly dangerous to taser anyone that much.

Tasers aren't toys and can still kill people with misuse and abuse.

Edit: "In Seattle, a 16-year-old was tasered four times on the back of the neck when the car in which he was a passenger was stopped for a faulty headlight."

Thats police brutality. The cop shouldn't have tasered him in the first place for something so minor. Four tasers is insane. Would anyone approve of a cop beating the crap out of a civilian? Tasering a person four times or beating the crap out of a person are about equal. The body harms are about the same.

Answer 2

Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, to propose a bill that would restrict the use of Tasers to firing only at violent or threatening lawbreakers. His bill died in committee May 6.

The bill died for ONE simple reason, the committee recognized that it would not have changed a thing. Tasers are already only used on violent people. Even if that were not the case, use of ANY force against people that are not presenting a threat is ALREADY prohibited under existing law.

"I was hearing reports of Tasing for jaywalking, a 75-year-old woman, a 5-foot, 100-pound high school girl — by a 200-pound officer,"

Hearing from WHO? The 75 year old lady with pepper spray? Without a source or details about what they were doing when they were Tased (not the original 'crime'), your examples are meaningless.

Officer Johnathan Cute tops the list with 35 Tasing incidents, according to the report

Did the report mention if he is assigned to a particularly high crime area. It probably didn't say, but I doubt you would have noticed if it did.

"When I tried to get up he was like, 'Tase him, Tase him.'

What kind of IDIOT tries to move after being hit by a Taser? Any fool knows if Police feel the need to use force, they will continue until YOU stop resisting.

Answer 3

Your right, but if the citizens were humble no use of force is necessary. This week in DC a man got abusive to an officer and he died from the taser shock. The suspect heart stopped! Maybe the tasers are being abused, but the criminal should respect the law, and no taser will be necessary.

Answer 4

The police have every right to do what is necessary to control a lawbreaker and a taser is a he11 of a lot better than a bullet.

Police officers DO NOT use tasers on peole who do what they tell them to do. It is only the smart-a** who give them a hard time, try to run, don't hit the ground when told and others incidents like that who have to be forcibly brought down.

What would you rather have? A nice .38 slug in you or a few belts from a taser.

Answer 5

No. Most police I have seen fire a Taser do so only after repeatedly asking the suspect to obey his or her commands. The officers I have seen exercised great restraint. If the suspect doesn't listen he should be tasered and all suspects I have seen tasered deserved it.

Answer 6

ok, we all know this is gonna be a hot one, no matter the answer. I would much rather see a police officer reach for a tazer gun first before he reached for his service side arm. I have several friends who are police officers, one of whom is a SWAT team leader. He was the happiest of all about tazers coming to town. Believe it or not, when a police officer is forced into a situation that requires weapons to be employed, they would much rather disable someone than kill them. To know that you took someone's life is a heavy burden to bear for the rest of your life.

Answer 7

No. If you could see all the men/women who continually dis-obey an Officer, I firmly believe they should use it more. When is the majority of the people gonna realize, the Law Enforcement means OBEY. Why can't the criminals understand simple orders ?? They can dish out dis-respect, but cry like babies, when force is used. It is always the Officers who are wrong. Can't win !!!!

Answer 8

I quit reading all of your copy and paste but I know enough to respond.

I once ordered a guy seven times (I have it on video) to comply with my orders to get on the ground. I did not have to order him seven times but I did not feel like doing the paperwork for use of force. After the seventh time and his seventh threat I Tasered him. After wards he complained and cried like a little school girl. Like your examples above all he had to do was comply. Combat is not static and sometimes people get hit in the face and head. The ultimate responsibility is on them. If they comply then they have nothing to worry about.

I have used my Taser three times in the line of duty. In all incidents I was cleared of any wrong doing. I have also been Tasered five times in training with no ill effects.

The subject I mentioned above was found guilty in court of Obstructing a Public Officer.

Answer 9

Not at all it shows a person who is not obeying police coomands and even after being hit with tazer still tryed to get up.

So he caused all his own problems, and it was much safer for the suspect than being beat with a ASP. People who think this is wrong has never had to handle a suspect who is not obeying your commands, you have a few seconds to act, and do anything possible to get the sucpect under control.

Answer 10

i was shot in the chest with a .38 spcl, i was shot in the back with a taser. give me the taser anytime, the effects, especially the pain part, did not last anywhere near as long as the pistol shot