- Sunday, 12 July 2009
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A successful lawsuit is the one worn by a policeman - Robert Frost
Amnesty decries the use of Tasers
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RECKONS the use of tasers is simply shocking, and is calling on the British Government to restrain itself in the willy-nilly deployment of them to only a small number of specialist officers and only ever in life-threatening situations.
The latest amnesty outrage comes as the organisation released new figures initially claiming the death toll from Taser use had hit 334 in the US, since 2001. Only further down the report does Amnesty actually admit that... ah yes, only about 50 of them actually died resulting from the tasers themselves, whilst most of the rest of the deaths have been attributed to factors such as drug intoxication. Hmmm.
Still, it does seem rather cruel to discover that – from 98 autopsies – about 90 per cent of those who died after being stunned with a Taser were unarmed and many did not appear to present a serious threat.
Tasers, which are basically pistol-shaped stun guns, delivers 50,000 volts of electricity into a person's body causing quite significant pain and sometimes loss of control of bodily functions.
The report also notes many were subjected to repeated or prolonged shocks, sometimes by more than one copper at a time and that, ridiculously, some were even shocked for not obeying police commands after having been incapacitated by a first shock. ("Stop drooling and shaking on the floor! I said stop!" *ZAP!!!*).
Oliver Sprague, Amnesty International UK's Arms Programme Director noted, "The Taser is clearly a dangerous weapon and should only be used in very limited circumstances where strictly necessary to protect life or avoid very serious injuries".
Amnesty also takes pains to point out what one would think to be stunningly obvious, that tasering the elderly, pregnant women, sufferers of dementia, people suffering from medical conditions like seizures and schoolchildren, should really stop happening.
Also, despite repeated claims by the taser industry that the weapons are low risk to healthy adults, Amnesty isn't convinced and points out that nearly ten per cent of 41 Tasers tested in a study commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, delivered significantly more current than the manufacturer said was possible. µ
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"~ people suffering from medical conditions like seizures and schoolchildren ~"
0ooof, I've heard that the medical condition known as 'schoolchildren' can be quite nasty, even without the taser hit.
Shonky.
Id like to see the study of how many people who get shot and die. There is always a risk in anything designed to incapacitate a person. I shouldnt have to risk my life fighting someone hand to hand as a cop if i have something that makes it quick and relatively safe to the law enforcer. Im not saying they should keep zapping people that comes down to training.
The real issue that because the taser is seen as a "safe" control device it can be employed with little consequence.
If every taser use required a review and automatic one week suspension during investigation there might be more reserve shown.
It's a very easy thing to abuse and the abuse rate (by media accounts) seems to be growing.
the fact that in America they would have probably just shot most of those people with a real gun and killed even more of them. Here's a thought, if you're not doing anything wrong, don't run. Pretty simple.
Don't taze me bro!
Each day brings us closer to '84. It'll be easier for the troopers to enforce discipline if they're armed with "non lethal" weapons. Seriously though, there's no need for this. The problems lie elsewhere.
You "authorities", always with the bleeding, bone-breaking and convulsions.
What's wrong with a nice, old-fashioned tranquilizer dart.
Oi-ve!
BTW, I wonder if anyone has considered the post-zap mental trauma caused by the use of such a "harmless" device.
Having seen a gazillion taser videos, it's very obvious that it is used for two things, self defense and torture.
Most of the time there is no excuse for use, thus it is to torture. Anyone who uses the device for that should be tasered, and have their badge taken away. There is a time and a place for everything, and the time for that BS is over.
The part that bothers me the most is that those that enjoy hurting others, for what entertainment? try jumping off a cliff, I'm sure it's even more of a rush.
Those things are only for sissies!
Real guns are the ones that inflict real pain and death, any suspect should be shot on sight or else the jails would be too crowded
...and somebody should give Amnesty some brains, their average IQ has gone below room temperature
Arm everyone and may the best person win... Bullets are a lot more efficient.
Maybe if each Plod were to face the same number of shocks as they administer, they might self-restrain themselves to the overzealous use thereof.....hmmm.
Im surprised the claimed figure is as high as it is. Medical examiners are under tremendous pressure to say that the death was caused by anything but the taser. Combine this with the fact that the subjects of tasing are often intoxicated, and here we are.
Guess it's back to straight .357's then. Forget all about less-than-lethal, and move straight back to lethal...
What a bunch of gits...