Taser International - Company Overview

Taser International was founded in 1991 by brothers Rick and Tom Smith after two friends were murdered. To get around state and federal firearms laws, they developed a device that incapacitated attackers using an electric shock. That device has evolved and turned into a multi-million dollar business for the Smith brothers. Their product is now sold globally to military and law enforcement agencies.

Along with kudos, Taser International has received much criticism. The medical community and civil rights agencies say that the company misrepresents the danger of their products. An article in the Arizona Republic newspaper revealed that company officials had claimed that a Department of Defense study was "independent" proof of the product's safety, even though the company provided most of the research material used in the study, and participated in three panels to determine the scope of the study, analyze data and review findings.

Michigan state representative Arlan Meekhof has co-authored bills that would make it legal for people with concealed weapons permits to pack tasers. Tasers are illegal for the public in Michigan, though they are used by police. Tasers made for the public are not as powerful as police products, and are legal in 43 states. The bills would require taser owners to register them and receive the same kind of training required to get a concealed weapons permit.

In Montreal, some community activist groups recently called for a ban on the weapon across Canada because several, recent deaths have occurred when officers used tasers during arrests. While Taser International Inc. has been sued several times in wrongful death cases, the company has yet to be found guilty. In fact, the number of law enforcement agencies using tasers stun guns is on the rise and sales to international markets are soaring. Business is definitely booming for the company.