With all due respect for the stress of shooting situations, 475 shots fired by the police resulting in two ventilated bystanders and a suspect with a nicked ankle says the answer is 'No.'

I remember a time when very few of the cops I knew had ever used their guns in the line of duty. They seemed to have methods to deal with people before it got to that point. All of a sudden, they get the Taser and the stigma of shooting a person is gone. Take away the Tasers and we'll be seeing cops shooting people left and right just out of habit.

And as soon as dolphins learn how to use those, we are DOOMED.

I have seen the future, and it's people constantly zapping each other with Stunbrellas™ and some such for no apparent reason.

Cagey B: I have seen the future, and it's people constantly zapping each other with Stunbrellas™ and some such for no apparent reason.

It's when they start combining Tasers and Snuggies that we'll all be in deep, deep trouble...

What the hell is a metre?

Cagey B: I have seen the future, and it's people constantly zapping each other with Stunbrellas™ and some such for no apparent reason.

Oswald Cobblepot, is that you?!

holy shiat, how the hell can that work. i would assume it would have to somehow lodge in a person. am i wrong?

Im TASER certified. I volunteered to get TASERed just to see what it was like. I took the shot in the back and the full 5 second ride. Dont get farking TASED. Mother of God was that freaking terrible. I work in a jail and I love listening to inmates brag to their cellmates about how they got TASED and either it didn't hurt at all or they got up right afterwards. Duh, thats the point. It's not supposed to cause long lasting effects. I got up too, after they pulled the darts from my back.

youtube the term "xrep". Its TASERs new shotgun taser. 100 feet range and 20 second ride. It's got four prongs that are basically straightened fish hooks that embed into your skin and the other half of the body drops down like 12 inches or so with makes contact with the skin completing the circuit.

During training, we were watching a video of the senior master instructor. He's been TASERED thousands of times and its the same every time, hasn't built up an immunity to it yet. If you watch the video, he's the one getting shot with it.

Dairy King: Im TASER certified. I volunteered to get TASERed just to see what it was like. I took the shot in the back and the full 5 second ride. Dont get farking TASED. Mother of God was that freaking terrible. I work in a jail and I love listening to inmates brag to their cellmates about how they got TASED and either it didn't hurt at all or they got up right afterwards. Duh, thats the point. It's not supposed to cause long lasting effects. I got up too, after they pulled the darts from my back.

Once, when I was younger and clearly much dumber (also inebriated....won't get into that now), I was trying to unplug something from a wall socket. It was being extremely stubborn and was only coming out milimeters at a time. Once the leading edge of the plug was past the outlet, but the prongs still stuck, I curled my fingers around the edge to get a good grip and give it a final yank because it was ridiculous how long it was taking to yank this thing out of the wall.

Well needless to say I got a solid shock for a few seconds before I managed to unclench my fist and yank myself away. I felt that for a long time afterwards.

So, the lesson is when drinking with friends and something needs to be unplugged to make way for a kegerator, do not volunteer to be the one to yank the excalibur equivalent of plugs out of a wall socket.

Anyway, where was I going with this. Oh yea, does a Taser hurt more than grabbing onto bare prongs plugged into a wall outlet for a few seconds?

Tazer grenades? Those would be hella-fun at parties.

Dairy King: youtube the term "xrep". Its TASERs new shotgun taser. 100 feet range and 20 second ride. It's got four prongs that are basically straightened fish hooks that embed into your skin and the other half of the body drops down like 12 inches or so with makes contact with the skin completing the circuit.

During training, we were watching a video of the senior master instructor. He's been TASERED thousands of times and its the same every time, hasn't built up an immunity to it yet. If you watch the video, he's the one getting shot with it.

Hahahaha, that is just overflowing with wharrrgarbl jargon. My favorite was "very high tech integrated weapons platform that delivers taser intramuscular incapacitation".

It's prongs, a short length of wire and a battery shoved into a slug with soda can fins. They reiterate spin stabilization as if it's some revolutionary concept that hasn't been around for decades.

It's a neat taser slug for long range non-lethal, but good christ are they overselling that. They spout more buzzwords than a Japanese soft-drink ad.

When did we get to a point in society where we consider it socially acceptable to long-range electrocute people in the junk all the time?

I'm trademarking ElectroCute, by the way.

It's the satisfying taser for all your most personal tasering needs. It stimulates you or your partner in all the right places until you're quivering with delight (and from the several hundred volts of tender electric shocks every 15-20 seconds.) Best of all, it's pink and the metal prongs fly out of adorable bunny ears!

bhcompy: What the hell is a metre?

It is the distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 seconds. It was originally defined as 1/10,000,000 the distance from the equator to the North Pole along the meridian that runs through Paris.

There are, however, some backwards folks in the world who spell it "meter".

Can we just pass a law requiring that cops fill out a report to account for every time they fire their Taser^TM just like they have to for every bullet they expend?

If they have to do an hour of paperwork every time they fire the damn thing, then maybe they will stop viewing the general populace as mobile target dummies.

The idea: the Taser will allow police to use non-lethal force in situations where they only had access to lethal force in the past.

The Practice: any farking reason at all to whip that bad boy out.

Lip off: ZAP
Not following orders fast enough: ZAP
Not boot licking enough: ZAP
Protesting about getting a speeding ticket when you weren't speeding: ZAP ZAP ZAAAAAAAP

/its ok, they're her to help us

Poor policy enforcement on the use of less-than-lethal weapons shouldn't be used as an excuse to get rid of them anymore than its been a reasoning for getting rid of armed police officers.

Taser already has a 12 gauge shotgun shell that works as this new system is proposed to. They could probably put four slugs or more in place of the 40mm. Although using the preexisting launchers with such a shell would be an attractive option if your in an area where you still need things like grenades and flares.

As for suspects being tasered on the battlefield: Bear in mind they would have just been under the barrel of an assault rifle in a soldiers hands... So, its kind of an upgrade on their chances at living.

(and now, for no particular reason, gun porn!)

just2quixotic: Can we just pass a law requiring that cops fill out a report to account for every time they fire their TaserTM just like they have to for every bullet they expend?

If they have to do an hour of paperwork every time they fire the damn thing, then maybe they will stop viewing the general populace as mobile target dummies.


The paperwork wouldn't help, they'd just cut, paste, and print the same BS for every case.

It would be kind of like when they say "I felt threatened" every time they break into someone's house and shoot their dog.

BigBooper: The idea: the Taser will allow police to use non-lethal force in situations where they only had access to lethal force in the past.

What?

The Taser was NEVER marketed as a tool "only to be used when a gun would otherwise have been used."

The Taser is and should be at/near the top of the list for physical restraint methods used by police, as it's by far the safest method available of gaining physical compliance from a suspect.

Toshiro Mifune's Letter Opener: And as soon as dolphins learn how to use those, we are DOOMED.

Fark you dorphin

BackinIndy: It would be kind of like when they say "I felt threatened" every time they break into someone's house and shoot their dog.

or when they shoot a guy in the back when he is handcuffed, or shoot a burn victim who is in shock

I've said it before, but I'll say it again.

The acceptance of Tasers means eventually police will use them prior to ANY interaction with civilians.

Need to question someone on the street? Use the Taser first.
Want to give someone a warning for jaywalking? Taser first.
Enter a building where a crime was committed? Taser everyone found.
Speeding car? Order everyone out, Taser them.

You just watch, it's already started.

/not kidding

Bendal: I've said it before, but I'll say it again.

The acceptance of Tasers means eventually police will use them prior to ANY interaction with civilians.

Need to question someone on the street? Use the Taser first.
Want to give someone a warning for jaywalking? Taser first.
Enter a building where a crime was committed? Taser everyone found.
Speeding car? Order everyone out, Taser them.

You just watch, it's already started.

/not kidding

You're a moron.

/not kidding.

bobbette: When did we get to a point in society where we consider it socially acceptable to long-range electrocute people in the junk all the time?

I'm trademarking ElectroCute, by the way.

Way too late. Type O Negative, circa 2003.

Link (pops)

They're just preparing for the Soylent Green days to come
You want the main ingredients to be as fresh as possible
That means delivering the ingredients in a living state to the processing center
This also ensures healthy organ replacements for the wealthy
Without whose funding there would be no Soylent Green

Is that a joint you're holding??! STOP, come back here!

BLAM BLAM BLAM

In the piles of crap I've accumulated over the years is a real motocyclist's letha duster. The damn thing is made out of 12 oz steerhide leather and weighs abut 15lbs. I think I'll make a point of wearing it the next time i'm in the mood to be mouthy to a cop.

Nobodyn0se: BigBooper: The idea: the Taser will allow police to use non-lethal force in situations where they only had access to lethal force in the past.

What?

The Taser was NEVER marketed as a tool "only to be used when a gun would otherwise have been used."

The Taser is and should be at/near the top of the list for physical restraint methods used by police, as it's by far the safest method available of gaining physical compliance from a suspect.

Are you insane or do you just play crazy on Fark? Anyone who thinks that introducing several thousand volts of electricty into someone sub-Q is SAFE is out of their freaking skull. You can kill someone instantly with 1/100th of that much current in the chest cavity, you can disrupt nuero-function or cardiac rythym permanently, and the muscular contractions caused by the taser can easily break bones or do muscle or ligament damage.

The idea that Tasers are safe or especially effective was a lie spread by the owners of the Taser company, including former NYC police Commissioner, and current resident fo Rickers isalnd, Bernie Kerik (and the guy who just happened to decide that NYC cops should carry tasers)

LarryDan43: Is that a joint you're holding??! STOP, come back here!

BLAM BLAM BLAM

That is exactly what they are for. Whether you like it or not pot is illegal and if a cop sees you smoking, then tells you to stop and you don't, that's resisting arrest. Would you rather they shoot you?

\I know you would rather they make it illegal
\\but it isn't, get over it

Magorn: Nobodyn0se: BigBooper: The idea: the Taser will allow police to use non-lethal force in situations where they only had access to lethal force in the past.

What?

The Taser was NEVER marketed as a tool "only to be used when a gun would otherwise have been used."

The Taser is and should be at/near the top of the list for physical restraint methods used by police, as it's by far the safest method available of gaining physical compliance from a suspect.

Are you insane or do you just play crazy on Fark? Anyone who thinks that introducing several thousand volts of electricty into someone sub-Q is SAFE is out of their freaking skull. You can kill someone instantly with 1/100th of that much current in the chest cavity, you can disrupt nuero-function or cardiac rythym permanently, and the muscular contractions caused by the taser can easily break bones or do muscle or ligament damage.

The idea that Tasers are safe or especially effective was a lie spread by the owners of the Taser company, including former NYC police Commissioner, and current resident fo Rickers isalnd, Bernie Kerik (and the guy who just happened to decide that NYC cops should carry tasers)

I haven't ever been tased, but I have done enough self defense and judo to know that when you get slammed to the ground, there is a ton of risk involved, especially in the heat of a fight. Being physically lifted from the ground, flipped and slammed, even against mats can and does cause injury, brain trauma, neck injury, etc. That is why you have to learn how to fall before anything else. Your own inability to fall can also cause your partner to get hurt, depending on what is going on. Also... nothing says the perp won't know a nifty counter to said move. Just imagine being called to settle a violent altercation at the local MMA training ring; would you want to bet your 6 weeks of self defense against their 4 years of training? I know this has happened in my county, though the guys apparently were super nice to the cops and were really ashamed of themselves afterwords.

My point being is that any time you need to be physically restrained, you are in danger. I will agree that police have been using their tasers more often then they ought, in situations where the Taser is an escalation of force (police are required by law to only meet force with like kind force, not to escalate it) however due to the sheer bullshiat wording of the law, its considered less aggressive than physically putting hands on someone, or using your night-stick. (I'll take the volts over a knock to the head)

Personally, I don't think they should be allowed to use their taser unless there is a good reason that deescalation is not going to work; such as an irrational or chemically altered perp, or someone fleeing actively fleeing arrest. Not only does it cause less danger to the cop to hit a running person with the taser, that person is not going to have another 200+ pounds of person falling on him in a tackle.

/Anti-taser for the most part
//Beats getting shot

UNHbeta19: LarryDan43: Is that a joint you're holding??! STOP, come back here!

BLAM BLAM BLAM

That is exactly what they are for. Whether you like it or not pot is illegal and if a cop sees you smoking, then tells you to stop and you don't, that's resisting arrest. Would you rather they shoot you?

\I know you would rather they make it illegal
\\but it isn't, get over it

They cannot shoot in that case.
Even in cases of resisting arrests.

Read up on the force continuum.

Where the hell is lieutenant whats-his-name when you need him? That cop that posts on here sometimes that seems both sane and intelligent. I'd like to know if he's ever tazed anyone, what the situation was, and what he thinks about policy in general.

mamoru: There are, however, some backwards folks in the world who spell it "meter".

me-trey or me-ter?

cen-trey or cen-ter?

I think you got the backwards wrong

Stun guns, Tasers, Taser shotguns -- now everyone's worried about police injuring perps with a Taser grenade launcher.


Why, I heard they're working on a Taser nuke!

---------------------------------------------------

The Taser started out as a great thing, but the use has devolved to the point where it appears the cop is free to use it in almost any situation. And that makes some cops lazy. And Tazer happy.

Shooting, Tasing, or really ANY use of violence by the police should require a serious investigation with serious penalties if the police is found to be abusing his or her power. We should be requiring the police to wear a small videocam/microphone clipped on the uniform at all times. The tech is here and it's cheap. Why are we not doing this?

Another good approach: Offer every police officer a $10,000 or so Christmas bonus, but with one catch -- $2000 gets knocked off of that bonus with every use of violence, justified or not.

In other words, make it cost the cop money out of his pocket every time he uses a Tazer, gun, or club on somebody. That would be about the only way we could make sure the thing really is only used as a "last resort."

I was raised to respect and admire police officers.

Since I graduated high school, the police have eroded that upbringing with their constant abuses of power (a few incidents directed toward me personally). They're just mostly assholes.

Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude: Once, when I was younger and clearly much dumber (also inebriated....won't get into that now), I was trying to unplug something from a wall socket. It was being extremely stubborn and was only coming out milimeters at a time. Once the leading edge of the plug was past the outlet, but the prongs still stuck, I curled my fingers around the edge to get a good grip and give it a final yank because it was ridiculous how long it was taking to yank this thing out of the wall.

Well needless to say I got a solid shock for a few seconds before I managed to unclench my fist and yank myself away. I felt that for a long time afterwards.

So, the lesson is when drinking with friends and something needs to be unplugged to make way for a kegerator, do not volunteer to be the one to yank the excalibur equivalent of plugs out of a wall socket.

Anyway, where was I going with this. Oh yea, does a Taser hurt more than grabbing onto bare prongs plugged into a wall outlet for a few seconds?

At the time of shock... yeah, a taser hurts more... but you gotta understand that tasers are at a extremely low current and high voltage while a wall socket is relatively low voltage and whatever current your body can support (0.3 amps if memory serves) before it starts to cook.

Personally, I've had quite a few zingers from 120V and 480V sources and everything in between and I have been tased, it all pretty much sucks. The main difference is that a taser is designed to turn you into a cup of orange juice for a few minutes.

just2quixotic: Can we just pass a law requiring that cops fill out a report to account for every time they fire their TaserTM just like they have to for every bullet they expend?

If they have to do an hour of paperwork every time they fire the damn thing, then maybe they will stop viewing the general populace as mobile target dummies.

We already do, its called a "Use of Force" report.

drjekel_mrhyde: dolphin

Dolphins can suck it! Suck it dolphin! Suck it!
/obscure?
//Ohhh, I'm savin' da world!

subby.. you rock! lol