Zap-happy (re: Tasers)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

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.

Taser International, the powerhouse company from which most police departments buy, also has its sights set on the private sector. Three Taser models, priced from $400 to $1,000, are available to private citizens.

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.

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http://www.post-trib.com/cgi-bin/pto-story/news/z1/05-15-05_z1_news_01.html

[catnhatnh]

1. Imagine...

...this story actually has a sense of balance. I am perceived by some at DU to be anti-taser and have seen you characterized as anti police.I wish some could see that we are both just anti-excessive force types...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

2. LOL...

I did find this to be a pretty balanced piece.

There's quite a few folks who like to keep everything black and white... If it's a shade of gray, you're wrong.

:toast:

[pop goes the weasel]

3. already in the hands of criminals

A 14 year old was recently attacked with a taser and raped. I'd just as soon that tasers stay completely in police hands.

I wonder if there will be an increase in violence as tasers become easier to get. It's one thing to attack someone with a gun or knife, knowing that there will be blood and permanent injury, possibly death, but I think that for anyone, the way a taser works might lull someone into a decision to use force when otherwise they wouldn't have. I wish there were some psychological studies to see what effect on decision-making tasers have.