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Tasers really are safe

10/10/2007 7:12 PM
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 380

Tasers really are safe

Well, for those of you who did not read the news article on the front page of the site, it seems like there is fairly conclusive proof that Tasers are safe. The NIJ funded a study of 1000 deployments in several departments and found only 3 injuries that required hospitalization. Two of those were head injuries from falling after the Taser was used. One was a person who went to the hospital two days after the Taser and the medical problem could not be shown to be related to the Taser. One death that the autopsy says was not related to the Taser. Story was also published in peer reviewed medical journals.

I am willing to bet there will still be some people who think Tasers kill. They will claim the study had a problem in the methodology or something. They will claim that the death might have been related and the ME bought into the phantom disease known as excited delirium.

But to me, the only thing I see unanswered in this survey has nothing to do with the injury rate. I am still concerned with the overuse of the Taser by poorly trained officers who do not know how to use force properly. And that is not the fault of the Taser.


Story at: 

http://www.policemag.com/News/2007/10/10/Nationwide-Independent-Taser-Study-Results-Suggest-Devices-are-Safe.aspx


Last edited @ 10/10/2007 7:13 PM
REPLY 1  -  6  of  6
12/28/2007 10:53 AM #1
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3

RE: Tasers really are safe

Howdy All;

TASER's are the best thing to happen to Law Enforcement since the two-way radio!
9/18/2008 8:06 AM #2
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 4

Multi-shot remote stun gun

In Russia have created less-lethal multi-shot remote stun gun

Pull Down Gun reduce the risk of electrical injury

http://pulldowngun.narod.ru/Home.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQITYByDSn0

What do you think?

9/18/2008 4:12 PM #3
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 380

RE: Tasers really are safe

It looks interesting. I would like more information about how it works (straight charge or pulses like Taser) and whether it keeps sending the charge while you hold the trigger down.

The bad part is if you let go of the trigger, it ejects the cartridges and reloads, so fi I have to re-hit the same person I need a full second shot.

9/19/2008 11:31 PM #4
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 4

RE: Tasers really are safe

Main advantages PDG are shown, when it is used for a immobilization of several objects. For a immobilization of several objects it is necessary to shoot quickly. When operator pulls the trigger, the probes are shoot out and electricity is transferred to target. When trigger is released, cartridges are ejected. It is simple.

9/20/2008 10:11 AM #5
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 380

RE: Tasers really are safe

Yes, but how long does it keep the elctricity flowing when the cartridges are ejected? If they stop as soon as the cartridge leaves the pistol, then it may not be useful for crowds since the person can get back up as soon as I go to shoot the second. One of the proven problems with any conducted energy type weapon is that the person may not comply once the enrgy stops flowing.

Is the energy pulsed like the taser for interference with nerve control or is it just a straight electrical charge like an older style stun gun? How long does it conduct electricity if I have just one subject and hold the trigger down? How long does it conduct electricity if I shoot four or five rapid shots at people in a crowd?

I see some advantages, especially for crowd control, but I would need to know more about how it works, like those questions. After I get those answers, I might want to see more info or not.
9/22/2008 6:41 PM #6
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 215

RE: Tasers really are safe

I'd also like to see how it stacks up against the TASER shotgun shells. Sounds like it's a similar concept.
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