Taser use and abuse

[KLA2]

(CNN) -- Friends and family identified the 20-year-old Frederick, Maryland, man who died after police used a Taser stun gun on him Sunday morning, according to a local television station.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/11/19/taser.death/index.html

Many similar incidents reported, including the death of a Polish immigrant fresh off the plane in Vancouver about a week ago, Tasered by the RCMP.

I think much of this problem would be solved if police forces were trained in a simple rule: NEVER use a Taser in a situation where you would not otherwise have used your gun. A Taser should NEVER be considered a weapon of conveniance.

This is not an "anti police" rant. I respect the fact that police should not have to face injury or death to avoid hurting a criminal. If a police officer identifies him/herself and demands compliance, you comply, whether you are innocent or guilty. I have very little sympathy for those so ordered who run, fight or otherwise fail to comply and get hurt being apprehended.

BUT ... a Taser should NOT be used as a weapon of conveniance.

[pmcolt]

The article is poorly written and short on facts. This "very good kid" and several others were involved in a yelling match that devolved into a fight at 5am. Police respond.

Law enforcement officers don't show up to a fight and immediately pull out the Taser. At least, they don't around here; if the Frederick County Sheriff's Department's official policy is "taze 'em all and let God sort 'em out," then there's a legitimate issue of police abuse.

Generally, they follow a force continuum, first attempting to give verbal orders. If that doesn't work, they can move up the continuum to more severe techniques. Soft compliance techniques (use of hands, wrestling, etc) generally come next. If that doesn't work, then they move on to less-lethal techniques (taser, OC spray). If none of that works, then comes the hard stuff (batons, hard impacts). As a last resort, they have lethal force (firearms).

If the police appropriately gave verbal commands, then attempted use of hands to pry the fighters apart before using tasers, then I don't see a problem. That's what the taser is for; it's less damaging and less likely to be lethal than clubbing someone over the head with a baton, or shooting them.

If the police didn't do this, then the officers should be disciplined for violating procedure (if they did), or if they did follow procedure, the department needs to reexamine its procedure and put "use of taser" where it should be: as a last resort prior to using hard impact weapons.

It's hard to tell from the article which of these cases applies. Whatever the case, I feel bad for the family. It's tough to lose someone that young.