In my book tasering is one of the worst tools given to the authorities, especially the police. Sure it is effective in controlling unruly and potentially dangerous behaviour but the exponential abuse of this tool renders it ineffective. I mean we have had incidents where people have died after being tasered by trigger happy police who respond by saying tasering was necessary for the their and otherès safety. I mean why call it “non-lethal” when one – third of tasered persons have required medical attention? Or does non-lethal now mean that the person did not die? In that case what about this :
And then you have incidents like this :
Parents of a 16-year-old boy in intensive care with a broken back want to know why police Tasered their son 19 times rather than calling an ambulance for help.
Citizens noticed Branson, Mo., teenager Mace Hutchinson walking alongside the road and, fearing for his safety, called 9-1-1.
“We called the police. My wife was afraid he was going to get ran over or hit,” said witness Doug Messersmith. “He looked a little agitated but, other than that, he didn’t look to be falling down drunk or anything like that.”
When police arrived, they found Hutchinson under an overpass on U.S. 65 Saturday morning, Springfield’s KY3 News reported. The boy had fallen 30 feet off the overpass and was lying on the shoulder.
When the boy didn’t respond to police, they Tasered him, repeatedly.
“I’m not an officer, but I don’t see the reason for Tasering somebody lying there with a broken back. I don’t consider that a threat,” his aunt Samantha said.
Hutchinson was later admitted to the hospital, where he was put under intensive care for his injuries and is listed in fair condition. His family believes police added to the trauma after he fell from the overpass.
“According to the doctors, all injuries are consistent with a fall,” Samantha said.
I have the utmost respect for the police but incidents like this just make me wonder if power actually makes the authority figure trigger happy?
Desi In Toronto 