Stun Guns Tasers - Safety Concerns

Stun guns are similar in design to an electric cattle prod and are often carried in taser holsters on a belt. A taser can stun a targeted subject from a distance by firing electrodes on the end of long thin wires. Taser International has developed a long-range wireless electro-shock projectile which can be fired from any 12-gauge shotgun. Due to increased interest in non-lethal weapons, a number of new types of stun tasers are being researched.

Because of the use of electricity and the claim that the weapon is non-lethal, controversy has sprouted over particular incidents involving the weapon. The United Nations Committee Against Torture reports that the use of tasers can be a form of torture, due to the acute pain they cause. Amnesty International has also spoken out against tasers stun guns because of the physical pain the devices cause. Amnesty International has reported several alleged cases of excessive use that possibly amounted to torture.

Stun guns tasers have received the nod from law enforcement bureaus because it helps them disable a suspect without threat to the officer or the public. With pepper sprays, the chemical can blow back at the officer or get into ventilation systems. Stun guns are easily handled, give the officer more control, and usually do not cause permanent injury or loss of life. 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.

Amnesty International claims that the group has documented 277 taser related deaths in the U.S. since June 2001. Saying that stun guns tasers are a risk to public safety, they are calling for a moratorium on their use by police. However, a recent study funded by the U.S. Justice department showed that of 962 people who had been shocked by tasers, only two died and the deaths were determined to be unrelated to the device.