The use of tasers by Law Enforcement officers is a very controversial topic today. The goal of police officers everywhere is to enforce the law, while also keeping themselves and others safe. The weapons officers have include pepper spray, batons, tasers, and firearms.
Some people believe that tasers are too easy for officers to abuse, claiming that they are using them against people already in handcuffs, or that are already surrendering. Other reasons for eliminating the use of tasers by police officers include causing complications with pregnant women, young children, and people with certain disorders, physical or mental.
Supporters of the use of tasers by police officers claim that they save lives. They are the only thing that can fill the gap between pepper spray and firearms. There are times that the officers baton or pepper spray will not do the job, but the officer is not in enough trouble to have to resort to their firearm. in that case, the taser is perfect, but if they are not carrying one, either the officer or the suspect will be seriously injured or killed.
What is your opinion on this? Some states are already banning the use of tasers and stun guns by officers, do you think this is a good idea? Also, do you have any other opinions on this, or an idea for alternative protection that can fill the gap between an officers non-deadly and deadly force?
New Jersey was the last state in the country to allow police to use stun guns. The original policy, adopted in November, was intentionally restrictive to allow officials to evaluate their use, then-attorney general Anne Milgram said.
ReplyDeleteIt was so limiting stun guns were never seen as a viable tool, said Eric Mason, president of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.
The original policy allowed police to stun only emotionally disturbed people armed with a deadly weapon. Dow said that required police to essentially make an on-scene clinical diagnosis before firing a stun gun.
"Those additional restrictions were inconsistent with the realities faced by officers when responding to a rapidly unfolding crisis," she said. "In some instances the prior policy prohibited the use of a stun gun even in situations where an officer was authorized to use deadly force, and that was just a problem."
The new rules will allow officers to fire stun guns on anyone threatening death or serious bodily injury.
I think stun guns are valuable tools for police officers. It affords them another option besides shooting to gain control of a criminal or to subdue a mentally challenged person. Of course errors can happen but they usually are not as deadly as a gun fired accidentally.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dispatcher. Stun guns provide options for the officer. It is important that we provide the men and women who are protecting us with the resources to be effective.
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