Controversy Lingers Over Taser Usage

In one of our stories called ‘What Is The Difference Between A Stun Gun And A Taser®’ we said “The amperage, voltage and range are three of the major differences between a stun gun and a Taser®. The other major difference is cost-some stun guns are available for less than $20.”

Our Tasers® range from $379.99 for a basic C2 model to $1,399 for the Taser® X2 with laser.

Here we will bring you stories right out of the headlines from recent days about Taser® guns. Some of them may surprise you.

From USA Today comes this story about Tasers® On Campus in Georgia public colleges and universities. The bill is before the Georgia legislature now and will likely reignite long-standing debate about whether campuses would be made safer by allowing students to be armed. The bill is authored by representative Brockway who thinks students would get safety training on their own if the bill passes. Some organizations have been pushing for handguns on campus, so a nonlethal alternative such as a Taser® is an interesting compromise.

A Jackson, Mississippi newspaper announced recently that the Madison County Sheriff’s office is replacing their Tasers® with another nonlethal weapon called a Phazzer that is lighter, smaller and more important to the department-less expensive. Plus the battery life on the Phazzer is a lot longer. They note that the two products are basically the same based on legal backing and research, and they operate the same way with two electrified probes shooting out from the gun.

In an opinion piece written by a former police commissioner about the growing need for Tasers in Toronto, Canada. The author notes that originally they were approved by the Ontario government for use by police supervisors and tactical team members such as the Toronto Emergency Task Force. There was significant pressure from all police chiefs and police associations that forced a change in the regulation to allow for all officers to carry a CEW or Taser.

Unfortunately, there was no money approved for this change. The former Commissioner asked the rhetorical question “what is a life worth?” He notes that Tasers are in the Ontario use of force continuum as the last non-lethal alternative to deadly force. He remembers instances, while he was Commissioner, where lives of the suspects were taken through the use of a firearm when a Taser, had it been available, would have subdued the subject and allowed him to be taken into custody thus sparing a life. The argument will rage on, but the proof is in the pudding, as they say, with over 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States alone and in 16 foreign countries using tasers as their primary nonlethal weapon of choice.

Researchers from Drexel University and Arizona State University have conducted the first randomized study on Taser® stun guns’ effect on the brain that wasn’t carried out by Taser® International.

Researchers found that the 50,000-volt shock generated by a Taser® not only hurts but can also temporarily impair a person’s ability to remember and process information. That could be big trouble; Taser® guns are used by 17,000 police departments around the country, and these study results suggest that a suspect might not be capable of waiving their Miranda rights when questioned by the police immediately following a shock.

“Tasers are a great alternative to deadly force. When used in lieu of firearms, Tasers can save lives,” said a Drexel professor of Criminology and ASU researcher, in the press release. “But using a Taser® is not without risk. Although they are considered safe when used on healthy people, people have died from being Tased. They should be treated as a dangerous weapon.”

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Please tell us your reasons why you might not consider buying and using a Taser gun or any shooting stun gun. Be honest now!

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