As law enforcement agencies searched for alternative methods of dealing
with threatening and potentially threatening individuals without resulting in the use of deadly force, they looked to tools such as batons, chemical weapons (such as pepper spray), and electrical devices (specifically Tasers or stun guns). With the increased use of Tasers across the country, more organizations are taking a closer look at Tasers and Taser use policies. Those in a police career involving patrol will likely carry a taser or stun device.
A number of organizations are calling for a ban on Taser use by law enforcement due to the potential for abuse and lack of set state or federal training standards for Taser certification.
The Taser is designed to deliver a temporarily debilitating shock to a suspect from up to 20 feet away. The premise is that the Taser is used in lieu of deadly force in controlling dangerous suspects, thereby reducing the risk of officer and offender deaths in arrest situations.
Many communities are petitioning their local elected officials to ban the use of Tasers by law enforcement. They are pointing out that Tasers have the potential to be abused by officers. An example can be found in Glen Falls, New York where of the 94 incidences in which the Taser was utilized between 2004 and 2009, two officers of the 31 officer force were responsible for 52 firings (over half of the total). Additionally, reports have been filed that Tasers have been used on individuals who are already in handcuffs and individuals being questioned/arrested for non-violent offenses.
Proponents of Taser use; however, point out the inherent dangers of law enforcement work and the potential for bodily harm to the officer in any situation during his/her tour of duty. Captain William Valenza of the Glen Falls Police Department stated the department stands by all the Taser firings and remarked that if Tasers were banned there would be an increase in injuries among the public and officers.
Another argument against Taser use is the lack of state and federal training standards for Taser certification-a situation that is being addressed in a number of states through mandatory training before an officer can be issued a Taser. However, many departments are still on their own regarding Taser training and certification. Without set training standards (which includes a block on the liabilities of the weapons use in the event of bodily injury or death), officers are not fully aware of the ramifications of Taser use.
As Taser related deaths and injuries have continued to rise (as well as the amount of Taser litigation), many departments are starting to abandon the weapon in favor of other means of suspect control. Currently, Memphis, Tennessee, San Francisco, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada have opted to ban the use of Tasers by law enforcement. Additionally, a federal court has ruled that the pain inflicted by the Taser constitutes excessive force by law enforcement.
Because the use of Tasers is still in very early stages in the history of law enforcement, the controversy will continue until there are more definitive data available regarding their usefulness versus their potential dangers. Law enforcement agencies that chose to utilize the Taser as a means of non-lethal force must be aware of the potential liabilities, dangers and abuses of electrical weapons.
Photo by EKavet
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