Police Tasers - Understanding The Controversy

The police taser has been getting accolades because of its ability to subdue individuals with minimal force. A police officer can disable a threatening suspect without worrying about injuring innocent bystanders. However, since 2001, critics point to the deaths of more than 50 people in North America after taser shocks. Taser International claims that their product is not directly related to these deaths, and that about 100,000 police officers voluntarily took hits from taser weapons — resulting in no deaths. There are no guidelines establishing when taser guns can and can't be used. Some law enforcement agencies require officers to warn the target that a taser gun will be used before they actually use the weapon. This gives the individual the chance to calm down.

Reports that Montreal police have used taser guns inappropriately in 11 of 53 incidents over two years add urgency to calls for a moratorium on their use. Internal police studies have found that officers did not follow operational instructions in one in five cases where the taser was used in the past two years. This has increased the concern of groups like Amnesty International. New Brunswick law enforcement officials using tasers and any other type of stun gun will now require annual certification and more taser training. The annual certification replaces the three-year certification process that previously existed in the province. This was announced after the public safety department concluded its review on the use of stun gun devices. In the U.S., regulations regarding the use of tasers stun guns vary from state to state.

Complaints about the misuse of police tasers are coming fast - and the allegations are shocking. In Kennewick, Washington, an officer is accused of tasering an intoxicated man wearing nothing but his socks. In Australia, police are investigating charges that an officer repeatedly shocked a handcuffed man just to keep him quiet. In Canada, an inquiry is underway after a man died after being tasered in a Vancouver airport. This incident was captured on tape, and witnesses claim to have heard four taser shots. Police say that only two were fired.

Amnesty International has called for a moratorium on police tasers citing concerns that officers might be tempted to use tasers too often if they believe they're not lethal. There are no definitive guidelines for using the device, so the decision is left to the discretion of the officer. The issue continues to be debated, but until a decision can be made, tasers are still being used by law enforcement officers.