Tasers save lives!

If you don't be believe me just as the Wall Street Journal which carries this story of a mentally ill man whose irregular heart beat was sorted out after he was Tasered by cops undoubtedly concerned for his well being.

They should start charging for this! (Sadly that pun is intentional.)

Perhaps I miss the point...

...but I have always believed that the purpose of the Taser, when used by law enforcement, was to replace the use of lethal force not to subdue a man refusing medical treatment. The man died; whether this is due to the application of the Taser or not is, as yet, unknown.

Is it just me or has the level of use ratcheted up and the weapon used in situations in which it would appear inappropriate?

Is it just me...

...or are Taser International's new product lines just a wee bit gay? Not that there is anything wrong with that but is it the image tough, testosterone fueled American men wish to project?

Department of "you've got to be shitting me"

This comes from the Faux Business website so there have to be questions about its veracity. Nonetheless it seems that Taser International is to launch some new products including the "new leopard print TASER(r) C2 personal protection device" and the "new, innovative TASER MPH (Music Player Holster) which is a combination MP3 player and TASER C2 holster".

Where has my Amerika gone?

Department of not exactly the news

An expert from the University of Miami, who obviously never read a newspaper, watched the telly or browsed the internet, tell us that Taser use can be fatal. Thanks for that!

Premature electrocution

Two undoubtedly vastly experience sheriff's deputies somewhere in Florida are having to undergo remedial Taser training after "accidentally" firing their Tasers into the carpet and walls of their homes*.

I guess we should be thankful that they don't give these folks guns. What's that? What do you mean they have guns too?

*The wall was unharmed but the carpet is still in hospital. Taser International says that any injuries to the carpet were caused by misuse of the weapon and that all members of the Taser weapons family are safe to use on floor coverings of all kinds.

Just in case Smokey gets out of hand

The underfunded US National Forest Service has spent 600,000 USD on Tasers.

Bonus goodness for campers. They didn't purchase any training so watch your step!

Today in Tasering

Police in Lake City FL have Tasered a drug user who refused to cooperate with an ambulance that was taking him to hospital. The man subsequently died.

Once again I ask the question: aren't Tasers supposed to be a substitute for lethal force or are they simply another tool to be used by fat, out of shape local coppers?

Today in Tasering

I am beginning to wonder if the Canadian electricity grid has the wrong voltage to recharge Tasers as the country sees its third death in a little more than a week caused by the non-lethal weapon.

Today in Tasering

After yesterday's episode from Utah the action returns to Canada where yet another man had died after a Tasering, this time in a Nova Scotia correctional facility.

Elsewhere a former employee of Taser International, Pam Schreiner is claiming that she has been threatened and her home shot at after she witnessed company officials shredding documents related to several legal challenges against the firm. I am sure that Ms. Schreiner is exaggerating and that this is all just an innocent coincidence!

Today in tasering

Did you know that you could get Tasered in Utah for refusing to sign a traffic citation? Neither did I!



(Do any of these guys ever end up on charges or in prison for any of this? I didn't realise how much of this goes on.)

Today in tasering

I am probably misremembering but I thought that the Taser was supposed to replace lethal force and not to expand it!

Elsewhere Taser International was down 57 cents yesterday in light trading.

In which I propose the continual and unending Tasering of all of the hosts and hostettes at Fox & Friends

What's good for the goose, right?

Today in tasering

Police in Maryland fail to satisfy a volunteer.

Today in Tasering

Following the terrible incident at Vancouver airport we all need to take a deep breath and listen to the sage counsel of Tom Smith, co-founder and the chairman of Taser International: Tasers don't kill people, people kill people.

This message has been brought to you by Taser International.

Today in tasering

The British police have managed to Taser a man in a diabetic coma who apparently refused orders to leave a bus and was therefore suspected of being a suicide bomber. A bonus is awarded to the Met for tasering him twice.

Meanwhile the New York Times reports that the horrific tasering death of a would be immigrant at Vancouver airport has engendered a debate in Canada about the suitability of the Taser weapon. Curiously no such debate seems to take place in America.

Think carefully before decided to watch the video of the incident below. It is quite distressing.

Today in tasering!

In Green Bay WI a sheriff's officer working in a school "accidentally" takes out the janitor, in St. Louis MO a naked student gets zapped after refusing to put on his trousers and on Wall Street things are looking good for TASER International.

Tasering of the day

A police office of indeterminate, or at least unrevealed, gender from Madison WI has been severely reprimanded for Tasering him-or-herself. I think it can be safely assumed that the officer in question was not resisting self-arrest at the time!