Toward rules on Tasers (FL)

[struggle4progress]

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Continuing abuse-by-Taser allegations show why state legislators were correct to demand uniform guidelines for law enforcement's continued use of the 50,000-volt stun guns. The need runs deeper than even the more than 100 deaths nationwide since 1999 that critics claim stem from use of the Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle that its maker touts as a non-lethal alternative to nightsticks or guns.

In recent incidents, a Santa Rosa County deputy resigned after using the stun gun on a man who had surrendered and had his hands up following a car chase. In another in-custody case, an Orlando officer was charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly using a Taser on a drug suspect who was strapped and handcuffed to a hospital bed but would not or could not provide a urine sample. A rookie Leon County officer resigned and the sheriff apologized to a man on whom a Taser was used by deputies responding to a domestic-abuse call from elsewhere in his building.

The legislation that the Senate's Criminal Justice Committee approved last week, providing for statewide guidelines, at least would establish a uniform standard. But in saying that a person under arrest or in custody can be zapped for escalating from passive to active resistance, or for actively resisting an officer's command, Senate Bill 2240 is too vague. Also, allowing Taser use on a person attempting to escape remains excessive; it would not preclude such cases as a fleeing kid caught playing hooky, as when a Miami-Dade County officer Tasered a 12-year-old girl. <snip>

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2005/04/28/m22a_taseredit_0428.html

[madeline_con]

1. Itchy taser fingers

It seems to me that since the implementation of the use of tasers on a wide scale, there are far too many instances of unnessecary use.

One kid in 1st grade was tased because he had a piece of broken glass, and was threatening to cut himself. With three adults in the room, any one of whom was large enough to disarm the little bugger, they come to the decision to tase the kid!

What the hell?!! Couldn't they do better then that? You grab the little sucker's arm; altercation over. Call mom, and send him home. How tough is that?