Taser

August 9, 2010

Abstract
The issue of deaths from state to state caused by police officers use of tasers and how it affects peoples’ lives. Some states are in the midst of doing something about the problem. The amount of Taser deaths has grown more and more over time with the use of tasers. Governments are trying to change when and how an officer uses their taser guns and how it is necessary not to harm both the offender and the user. Families of the victims are suing police departments for the misuse of their taser guns, which resulted in the deaths of their love ones.

Taser

The idea of this report comes from an article from the Hampton County Guardian newspaper of Hampton County S.C... The title is “Family sues HCSO over Taser Death”. (www.hamptoncountyfuardian.com) I choose this issue because it is “Dear to my heart”. The family in this article is my sister and her children, which their ages range from (5 to 21) then. They all witnessed their father killed by the use of a Taser guns. In my essay I will ask the main questions like, (“Why are there taser guns?”), (“Why are there so many deaths with the use of the gun?”), and (“What is done by the government to fix the problem?”). With this report, I hope to reach everyone who may not be informed in this issue and tell him or her, what I have found in this matter. In my first question of my essay, “Why are there taser guns?” The company called Taser International is the makers of the taser gun. They felt the making of the taser gun would help in assistance those in taking down criminals so there would be no one harm. The original inventors are Jack Cover, who was a researcher for NASA back in the 1970s, combine with a man name Rick Smith who is the CEO of Taser International. Taser International is the supplier of the guns and they said that the miss used of the guns are in the hands of the person using them, to the point that they may have an attitude of, “they are the boss”. They also do not understand why so many people are suing them along with the police department. (New Internationalist) The second question is, “Why are there so many deaths with the used of taser guns?” Some police officers are questioning, why people are outraged about the problem. They are saying that no one have a problem in pass of when nightsticks were used that crack someone head open, but now with new technology everyone has a problem with it. (Jonsson, P) In my opinion of that statement is, hit ten people over the head, you might have one death, with electrical shock, there could be more. So I answer their statement by telling them to do the math, one compare to haft is better by far. My final question involves, “what are the governments doing to fix the problem?”. According to California Federal count, justifies used of the taser guns, consist of three points. Which are, the severity of crime, is the offenders posing serious harm to both themselves and others, and whether they are resisting arrest. (Farrell, M) Other states and countries are trying to limit the used by set up guide lines in the used of the guns, with ideas like, verbal warning, request medical assistance in case a subject is in need of medically help after being tased, and the testing of taser to make sure it is working properly. (CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal) Many families are suing state police departments in the taser deaths of their love ones, not just my sister family. I found one family that is suing, and their story is “RCMP Sued over Taser Death”, where a mothers’ son was tased, and kill. The mother is suing for psychological injury and punitive damages. (Airport Security Report) Just like my family, where they could have handle it without the use of the tasers, which in my opinion is a bit uncalled for in restrain someone. My brother-law had posed no threat to him or us, tasering him was no need in this