A recent event in my hometown in Florida involved a police office shooting his taser while driving his police car. The subject, who was riding a bike, fell and was subsequently run over by the officer. He tragically died at the scene. As a result, the city police have adopted a new policy that tasers can't be fired from a moving vehicle.
I relate this story because it our community as well as the country have stepped on this bandwagon of trying to ban the use of the taser. Without different tools to control different situations and differnt people, soon we will find our officers having to choose between their fists or their Glock. If I weren't a law-abiding citizen, I would truly want the taser to stay an option.
Susan Anderson
former police officer and writer of Cold Case in Ellyson
available on Amazon
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
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1 comment:
Susan,
I am an Army Major at the Command and General Staff College located in Kansas. I am commenting on this blog as part of a graduation requirement.
The military has also had mixed success with the use of non-lethal options such as the taser. The limits to the successful employment of the taser in my particular experience stemmed from lack of training and knowledge of the weapon's capabilities.
I agree with your perspective that LE should have the option or access to non-lethal means such as the taser. This of course requires that officers receive the associated training to include perhaps scenario-based training to illustrate when to employ the taser during an escalation of force incident.
What we don't want is non-lethal to somehow translate into irresponsible or ill-conceived reliance upon this option.
Non-lethal weapons such as the taser though, should remain a fixture in the arms rooms of LEAs.
respectfully submitted,
Justin
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