Tasers, 'Roid Rage and Our Culture of Violence

 

PHOTO: zaiusnation

Sorry I haven't posted for awhile. Summer and the job search and moving have taken up too much time. I am also traveling so posts will continue to be infrequent for another couple of weeks. Thanks for your patience.

Here is a great post by Steven D on Daily Kos (h/t digby) about tasers, a subject I have written about here, here, here, and here. Because my writing focuses on the intersection of social issues and politics, the earlier posts I have linked to discuss the influence of the hard right (Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, et al) on the violence in our society, which permits us to (continue to?) believe that persons in authority, particularly those in uniform, can do no wrong.

As quoted by Steven D from the Aug. 5, 2010 Chicago Sun-Times,

"Chicago Police officers have nearly quadrupled their use of Tasers since the department equipped every beat car with the electric-shock weapons earlier this year, according to new figures released by the Independent Police Review Authority."

"The agency, which reviews complaints of police misconduct, tracks every use of a Taser. In the second quarter of 2010, the devices were discharged 285 times by Chicago cops -- up from 74 in the first quarter of 2010 and 39 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Only a few of those Taser discharges resulted in an allegation of police misconduct, the police oversight agency noted."

The article also notes that Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale justifies the increased use of tasers because more offenders are using drugs. As Steven D notes, hello? He then goes on to discuss the increasing use of steroids by police officers and the relationship to increased use of tasers.

Having once worked in a sports facility and experienced at first-hand what happens when a very large man has an episode of 'roid rage, and also worked with addicts and am familiar with the difficulty of the police in subduing persons under the influence of, for example, PCP, I can understand the fear experienced by the police when faced with some offenders. When faced with the need to be as strong and as fit as possible, using steroids to level the playing field is a misguided, but logical, conclusion. Access to additional tools such as tasers is of course, even better. Not.

I studied criminology, and took a course in criminal psych, but don't remember many offerings in anger management or conflict resolution. Police officers are trained in basic psychology and diffusing difficult situations, but they are also, due to budget cuts, often riding alone and faced with limited training in the finer points of anger management and, believe it or not, the law. Attitude? Tase. Getting cussed out? Tase. Pissed off because the perp fought back (even though he is now on the ground and in restraints)? Tase. High school student in the hall without a pass? Tase. Grandma upset about getting a ticket? Tase. On the shoulder in your vehicle going into insulin shock? Tase. Drunk and passing out? Tase.

Somehow, it has become okay to use force as long as it is not deadly. Tasers? Just a little shock (unless, of course, you have a heart condition which of course the user of the taser can tell by looking at you).

In our law and order society, egged on by the likes of Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh, we have developed an "us or them" mentality which makes it okay to mistreat anyone fitting into the "them" category. Somehow, police are applauded for using their tasers because they didn't use their guns, rather than being censured for using their tasers instead of their brain.

In this age of camera phones, we now know of the abuse of tasers by the police. Their response? It's now illegal to videotape the police. Clearly a subject that needs additional research and discussion, but one that ties directly to the overarching trend in our culture towards a more violent, less cohesive society.

This is one point of view. Here's another from the police perspective as an officer writes about the growing controversy in Taser Today.

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
k

Tasers Again, Prayer Warriors, and Sarah Palin's Advocacy of Violence UPDATED

I have discussed the increasing use of tasers in our society here, here, and here. As a sociologist, I am concerned about the increasing violence and the consequences, and as a counselor, I am concerned about the effects of that violence. This past weekend, Sarah Palin spoke at the Women of Joy Conference and referenced the Prayer Warriors, admitting again her connection to that group whose admitted aim is the destruction of the demons that are destroying our society. Warriors. Violence. I guess anything goes if you achieve your goals.

Digby writes frequently about tasers as well and discusses here the recent tasering of a baseball fan at a Phillies Cardinals game for the heinous crime of running onto the field. Her point? We have truly sunk as low as we can get. The included comments posted to the YouTube video attached.

Randalrister thanks for postin the video, only thing us cards fans got to see was closeup video of molina laughing at him. 53 minutes ago
rustytrombone1027 Tazed his ass! Nice. 20 minutes ago

r1rav3n me and my boy were in sec 145 left field front row seats to the action. this was the greatest thing we ever seen 27 minutes ago

SavageJon123 Only a Btown kid. lol go Steve 35 minutes ago

DallasWillAlwaysSuck phuckin' hilarious, CBP rules!!!!! 45 minutes ago

StLouisKing05 this was the funniest thing i have ever seen! i sat in section 307 so i saw him hop over the wall and start running!! 49 minutes ago

CheetoSantana The smile on Molina's face was awesome 54 minutes ago

MatthewMitchell3434 I go to school with the kid hes 17
As she goes on to say;

She goes on to comment on the attitudes displayed by those making these comments;

"Real Americans don little tri-corner hats and carry on about "freedom" and "the constitution"

In my opinion, they listen to Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and other looney toons right-wing extremists and as Digby says;

"They are paranoid about a non-existent invasion of killer immigrants and are freaking out about a non-existent plan to send gun owners to Fema camps. They threaten to kill census workers who ask them how many times they flush their toilets."

I watch the news and see them at their Tea Parties and their marches as their tens of hundreds march in Washington as they strap on their guns, wave their "Don't Tread On Me" flags, threaten to water the tree of liberty with the blood of tyrants (of course, never their own) when they clearly have no understanding of what they are talking about. Digby continues;

"But torture? Not a problem. Whether it's administered by the CIA or some minimum wage security guard, they seem to think electric shock, waterboarding or any other sick form of coercion worthy of the worst low rent dictator in the world is just ducky..."

This past weekend, Sarah Palin spoke at a Women of Joy Conference and referenced Prayer Warriors, something she has done in the past, including thanking their (fortunately failed) intercession during her vice-presidential campaign. The Christian religion, particularly the evangelical branch, has always had violent tendencies, rooted as it is in the Old Testament, regardless of its constant calls to praise Jesus. Evangelicals love to cite the passages that support their strong law and order tendencies (an eye for an eye as an example) and the patriarchal family structure, ignoring those passages that do not suit their modern lifestyle (only prostitutes wear red [Sarah?] and eating pork is bad...wonder what they would have said about moose meat? and the laws of usury in the Old Testament...).

Anyway, I bring this up to make the link between the increasing use of tasers, the acceptance by our culture of same, and the rise of the law and order movement alongside the Christianisation of our political system. People turn to religion in troubled times as a way to cede responsibility to someone/something else. Let God take care of you and you do not have to take care of yourself. If it is all determined by God, then you have no responsibility for your own life. Lose your job? Your home? It is God's will. (Lose an election? It is a conspiracy led by the Devil, however).

The Old Testament is full of violence and a retributive god--as opposed to the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus who taught us to love our neighbor as ourself and to turn the other cheek. It was Jesus who said that if someone steals your coat, offer them your shirt. I wonder what he would think of tasering someone for bad attitude? Just saying.

At her conference the other day, Sarah Palin said;

"I beg you, Women of Joy, to bring light and be involved, loving America and praying for her. Really, it is our solemn duty. Praying for true spiritual awakening to overcome deterioration. That is where God wants us to be. Lest anyone try to convince you that God should be separated from the state, our Founding Fathers, they were believers. [unfortunately, Sarah, they just were not believers in what you want them to be believers in] And George Washington, he saw faith in God as basic to life." [h/t Crooks and Liars]

Who are the Prayer Warriors? Just their name evokes images of violence, warriors, a group fighting for their cause - which is to take control of nations through an apostolic reformation. This is a group which has maps delineating where the demons are that cause all the ills of society. Through a global network of prayer chains, the warriors hope to overturn healthcare reform, maintain Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and were significant players in overturning California's Proposition 8. This group includes members of Congress, leaders in business, and where even 10 years ago might have been laughed off the front pages by media, is referenced in speeches by Sarah Palin without anyone questioning it.

Has Sarah Palin advocated the use of tasers? I do not know. Has she advocated the use of violence? Yes, indirectly. Anyone who thinks that her comment to not retreat, but reload was used metaphorically should contact me about purchasing some fairy dust. Our culture is morally bankrupt when on the one hand our citizens protest against taxes and the loss of freedom over a bill to provide healthcare to those in need, and believe that spilling blood in freedom's cause is totally acceptable, then turn around and actually ignore the Constitution (torture, denial of the 1st Amendment, 14th Amendment, suggestions to deport children of undocumented workers [remember that little part of the Constitution about anyone born in the United States...?]) and it is totally okay.

Sarah Palin and her ilk haven't got a clue. George Washington and the other Founding Fathers were deists, a fact that is well-known. No matter how many times someone says something, it is still not going to make it true. This is not, and never was, a Christian nation. The Founding Fathers were very specifically opposed to making it one. The part of the Constitution about separation of church and state was not an accident. It was included for a reason (anyone with even a basic understanding of United States history knows why this country was formed - religious freedom anyone?).

The media has given a disproportionate amount of time to reporting on the Tea Parties, Sarah Palin, and other right-wing radicals. Huge marches occur protesting immigration problems, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Proposition 8, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and receive minimal media coverage. A few thousand Tea Partiers march in Washington and the airwaves and newspapers cover it as if it were the event of the decade.

Sarah Palin claims membership in a group that believes in demons and witches, that is connected to another group supporting a bill in Uganda that would execute homosexuals, and it is barely a blip on the radar. Christian groups rant against violence on television and in the movies and try to censor what we read and see and hear, but see nothing wrong with carrying handguns into bars or national parks (what a great combination, guns and alcohol - as someone who has worked extensively with domestic violence victims and substance abuse clients, I can safely tell you that you almost never see a DV case without the involvement of alcohol).

Right-wing extremists and Christianists blame teh liberals for the moral decay of our society, yet rape the environment (drill, baby, drill anyone?), let their constituents freeze and starve (Emmonak and Nunum Iqua just to name two) then take Franklin Graham to another village entirely and deliver  cookies.

So, taser a 17-year-old boy for running onto the baseball field? Go for it. He deserves it. After all, he interrupted the national pastime! I would bet that the majority of those posting those comments would call themselves Christians, most likely Republicans, carry guns, and probably include a number of proud Tea Party Sarah Palin fans. Do I say this just because I don't like Sarah Palin? No. I say this because the Republican Party, the Tea Partiers, and Sarah Palin, (and yes, I generalize here) are people who seem to be selfish and out for whatever they can get with no thought for others or the future. They see no connection between calling themselves prayer warriors, laughing about "targeting" Democrats with gun sight maps, and a total desensitization to tasering children, the disabled, the aged, and those who are ill.

We are truly not only financially bankrupt, but morally bankrupt as well. If Sarah Palin and her followers are successful in their endeavors, then we get what we deserve.

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
k

UPDATE 05/04/10 2:10p.m: Speaking of Constitutional Rights, John McCain was on Imus today, and declared that Faisal Shahzad, just arrested for the attempted bombing in Times Square should not have been given the Miranda Warning and that "...there are probably about 350 charges he's guilty of - attempted acts of terror against the United States..." ignoring, of course, that Shahzad is a United States citizen and even if not, entitled to Constitutional protections while in the United States. sigh. Read about it here

Additional sources include:
Crooks and Liars - Sarah Palin's Speech Women of Joy
Heads Up: Prayer Warriors and Sarah Palin are Organizing Spiritual Warfare to Take Over America
Photos: GOP Clown Collage

Sheriff Joe Arpaio New Taser Spokeperson While Under Grand Jury Investigation. Sweet.

 PHOTO: criminaljustice.change.org

Today, I read that Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona has been selected as the new marketing sponsor for Taser International. In case you aren't familiar with Joe, he is currently under grand jury investigation for abuse of power, and last summer was stripped of his ability to enforce federal immigration laws, an action he refused to acknowledge. Famous for his tent city for jail inmates, humiliating downtown marches for immigration detainees, and pink underwear for prisoners, he has now decided to run for governor despite an active campaign against him by many of his deputies. Joe never lets little things like the law get in his way.

But, the Sheriff Joe's of the world could not exist without us.

I've written here and here about my concerns about the increasing use of tasers by law enforcement. In addition to my concern about the over-use of tasers, I am as concerned about a culture that accepts their use and sees little wrong with tasering teenagers, elderly women, or persons with  medical conditions because, at the time, the person using the taser believed its use was necessary.


Few, other than progressive bloggers and civil rights attorneys and organizations, have questioned the fact that tasers are routinely issued to police officers assigned to schools, and that tasers are frequently used not when officers are dealing with physical violence or persons resisting arrest, but rather persons who are rude, verbally abusive, or passively resistant.

We read the news stories and shake our heads, sigh with relief that no lasting harm was done (usually), and probably believe that in some way, the individual being tasered deserved it because they were not cooperative enough with the person in authority.

Consider this. Is it possible that someone who would taser another person because they did not move fast enough, or because they had an attitude problem might be lacking in training? Or common sense? Or intelligence? Is it possible that someone who would taser a 72-year-old woman for exercising her legal right to refuse to sign a traffic ticket and was belligerent about being arrested for it might be abusing his or her authority?

Are we to comply with all orders from those "in authority" even when we know those orders are illegal, unethical, or simply wrong? Are we to comply with orders from those in authority even if we choose to accept the consequences for our actions (i.e., passive, peaceful resistance - a long-established tradition in this country), counting on the authorities to keep us safe while doing so? (I know, I remember Birmingham, and Kent State, and the 1968 conventions...).

My point, is that by increments, our law and order society is becoming inured to violence. Not just violence by criminals, or violence committed by terrorists or gang members, but violence that filters through all aspects of our lives. Officer involved shooting is something I hear on the news once or twice a month now, when in the past, it was a very rare occurrence. Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo have created a tolerance to torture and we have been taught to move the gauge of what is acceptable as time goes by.

I am delighted that police officers reach for tasers instead of guns, however, I would be more delighted if they were trained in anger management, conflict resolution, and basic risk assessment and didn't reach for anything at all. It is not illegal to swear at a police officer. It is not illegal to be angry (although it is illegal if you act out on that anger in a physical or threatening manner). Having attitude is not a criminal offense. Being out in the hallway without a hall pass deserves a trip to the Principal's Office, not being thrown to the floor and tased.

Taser International decided that Sheriff Joe was an appropriate spokesman for their product. They believe that using him in their marketing campaign will encourage others to buy more of their tasers. As said in the article at Change dot org,

"At the same time as Taser International boasts endorsements from the likes of Joe Arpaio, they run stories on their blog detailing how tasers save lives. They are trying to play both sides of the field, a stance that gets them into similar problems regarding the potential health risks of the weapon ... at the same time they are trying to lure police forces and consumers by flaunting the power of their weapon.
... Taser International should dump Arpaio and stop marketing their guns as safe, easy to use, every-day, self-defense products. Tasers are serious weapons, not to be fooled around with by unqualified crackpots."

There is a significant difference between a rule and a law and it would behoove our law enforcement personnel to learn the difference and save the guns and tasers for actual threats of physical violence, not threats to their inability to deal with difficult people.

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
k

Our Culture of Violence Makes Tasering 8 Year Old Okay? I Blame the Becks and Palins of the World

My interests are the intersection of sociology and politics, and as such, I've been watching the growing use of tasers. I have to wonder at a culture that believes that violence is the appropriate solution to, well, everything. Yesterday, the Anti-Defamaton League (ADL) announced that Glenn Beck is the most toxic hate monger operating in the U.S. today. He and Sarah Palin and the extremist fringe of the far right preach a brand of violence that is cloaked in religiosity that they believe makes it acceptable. Palin did not quit her job, she stopped to "reload." Citizens are reminded that Thomas Jefferson himself said that "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots." As do most fundamentalists, quotes are cherry-picked from the original source to support whichever claim is needed at the moment. In this culture of violence, more and more extreme behavior becomes acceptable, and becomes not the behavior at issue, but the individuals involved.

Now, the police have tased an eight-year-old girl. Unable to get her child to go to bed, unable to stop her tantrum, mom called the police. Compounding that stupidity, they responded. Attempting to carry the child to bed (I wonder if the officer has any children of his own, otherwise he would have known better), kicking and screaming, she kicked him in the groin. So of course he tased her. Does he think she kicked him in the balls on purpose? Does he think an eight-year-old knew the best place to kick for maximum effect? Doubtful. The child, of course, became quiet and obedient immediately. Did mom and officer then put her to bed? Maybe take her to the hospital to ensure that she had sustained no damage from the taser (she weighs 65 pounds)? No. He arrested her for assaulting him and took her to youth detention.

In statements the mayor and police chief say

"People here feel like that he made a mistake in using a Taser, and maybe he did, but we will not know until we get an impartial investigation," McDaniel said. The state police declined his request Tuesday, saying it only gets involved if the officer in question was accused of misconduct or targeted in an internal investigation.

Police Chief Jim Noggle said no disciplinary action was taken against Bradshaw. He said Tasers are a safe way to subdue someone who's a danger to themself or others. "We didn't use the Taser to punish the child - just to bring the child under control so she wouldn't hurt herself or somebody else," Noggle said. If the officer tried to forcefully put the girl in handcuffs, he could have accidentally broken her arm or leg, Noggle said. He said a touch of the stun gun - "less than a second" - stopped the girl from being unruly, and she was handcuffed, he said. "She got up immediately and they put her in the patrol car," McDaniel said."

I'm sorry, but are there any parents reading this? I cannot imagine ever, ever calling the police to resolve a tantrum. Sure there were times when things got out of control. Fortunately, I like to think I was a pretty good parent - my kids tell me I was - and we rarely had those kinds of problems, but I think every parent has at least one story to tell... But seriously. What do you do when your child is kicking and screaming and yelling and refusing to go to bed? You walk away. You go into the other room, shut the door, and ignore them. I guarantee it, they will stop. It may take a little while, but you have to wonder at the parenting skills of a mother who has those kinds of problems with an eight-year-old. By the age of eight, bedtime is not normally an issue. I would guess that bedtime was the least of the reasons that child was screaming.

I know that our police have a difficult job and have to face scary situations every day. They never know what will happen when they walk up to that car they have just pulled over or what they will encounter when they respond to that domestic violence call; two of the most potentially dangerous situations police officers encounter. But an eight-year-old? There was no weapon reported. The child was 4' 6" tall, obviously a clear threat to a male police officer. Right. Violence has become too easy as a response to every situation. It is preached to us in the media, every day.

Within the police culture, there is a growing use of force to respond to verbal abuse, passive resistance, and the failure to instantly cooperate - even if that failure to cooperate is the result of a disability caused by a health condition or intoxication. Many times, police officers are unable to judge the cause of the resistance and discover later why the individual that they tased was not cooperative.

I am not certain when it became illegal to behave towards police officers with anything other than immediate courtesy and respect. Certainly resisting arrest is illegal, but in every definition that I could find, resistance was defined as assault and battery on the police officer or running away. Not hesitating to jump into the police car or offer one's hands out for handcuffs. Verbal abuse? Swearing? Anger and raised voices? Not pleasant. But dangerous? Life threatening? Requiring the use of physical force? I do not think so.

I could devote this blog to cases of police officers using tasers on persons who were on the ground, in handcuffs. Persons who were sitting in their vehicles unconscious. High school students who were in the hall without a hall pass. A paraplegic who had been pulled out of his wheelchair to the ground, then tased. But I won't. Other instances are detailed in a post I wrote here.

Beyond the actual use of tasers, is a culture that sees their use and shrugs, and turns the page. Of a media that listens to the Glenn Becks and Sarah Palins preach a message of hate, of death, and of division, and simply "reports, you decide." Journalism used to be about questioning, researching, and pointing out errors in what our national figures were saying. Now we have our national media figures angry because the citizens notice the lies and reject the message of hate. These figures feel attacked and threatened and incite even more violence. They claim religion as their guide, and wave a stern, vengeful God who evidently approves of a culture that would tase an eight-year-old child.

Why do I connect Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and tasers? I write about the sociological intersection of politics and culture. Our society has become more and more violent. In the past forty years, we have embraced a law and order mentality and move away from a rehabilitation model. The behavior of our police is becoming more and more reactive, and they are less and less often expected to take responsibility. 

After all, it is not the behavior that is at fault any more. It is the label worn by the individuals involved. The President is good/bad depending on the label. The victim is good/bad (or even a victim) depending on the label. Someone is a murderer or not, depending on the label. Police always good, Republicans always good, Conservatives always good, Christians always good. Ignore sex tapes, adultery, ethics violations, bribery, murder, lying, any of the sins mentioned in the Bible, or laws on any of the books. Wear the right label, and it does not matter. Do good, be good, but wear the wrong label? Bad.

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
k

US Soldiers Disciplined for Taser Abuse - In 2004. Today? Anything Goes.

An article from 2004 in the BBC News tells of four US soldiers charged and punished for the use of excessive force for using Taser stun guns on prisoners. Based on memorandum received under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) discovered that detainees often arrived at prisons - including Abu Ghraib - with "burn marks" on their backs. The memos detail concerns expressed by FBI and US Defense Intelligence Agency workers which they were reportedly told to keep quiet about. The ACLU states that these memos were written two months after release of the Abu Ghraib photos.

The ACLU goes on to say that a senior FBI official expressed concern in 2002 about "highly aggressive" interrogations at Guantanamo and government sanctioned abuse. Executive Director Anthony Romero of the ACLU said that, "These documents tell a damning story of sanctioned government abuse - a story the government has tried to hide and may well come back to haunt our own troops captured in Iraq."

The Pentagon reports that there have already been dozens of reviews and hearings already and seven military police and intelligence officers have been charged in this [Taser] case and one reservist is currently [2004] in jail.

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On May 11, 2009, Kathryn Winkfein, age 72, was Tasered by Deputy Chris Bieze after a traffic stop. Ms. Winkfein was pulled over for driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone. She refused to sign the ticket and was ordered out of her vehicle by the Deputy. (By the way, it is legal to refuse to sign a ticket). According to Officer Bieze, Ms. Winkfein was combative and argumentative. Although the reports are somewhat conflicting, it is apparent that at one point, while walking along the road towards Deputy Bieze's patrol car, Ms. Winkfein wandered too close to the traffic lane and Deputy Beize shoved her away from the line. She then said,

“You’re gonna shove a 72-year-old woman?” Winkfein yells at him.

“If you don’t step back, you’re gonna be Tased,” Bieze says.

That’s when Winkfein said, “Go ahead. Tase me.”

Although he had the Taser out and ready, Bieze did not use it.

“Step back or you’re gonna be Tased, ma’am,” Bieze says again.

“I dare you,” she said.

Winkfein then decided she was leaving and tried to walk back to her truck.

“I’m getting back in my car,” she said.

“You’re gonna be Tased,” Bieze said, blocking her path.

“I’m getting back in my car,” she insists.

“No, ma’am,” he says.

Deputy Bieze then Tasered Ms.Winfein with 50,000 volts. Constable Sgt. Maj. Gary Griffin of the Constable's Office defended Mr. Bieze's actions and said Ms. Winkfein was belligerent and difficult to handle.

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In Pittsburgh on June 4, 2009, a high school student was tasered in the hallway of his school by a police officer because, "The kid was violating two rules — he should have been in class and he shouldn't have been talking on a cell phone" said the officer. The student will likely face several criminal charges including felony assault on a police officer. The boy was handcuffed once on the ground because he resisted, although the student claims that he was dizzy and confused after being tasered.

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Then, there is the case in El Reno where despite the fact that the man was not resisting arrest but simply not compliant, he was tasered.

Even though he was wearing a Medic Alert tag identifying himself as a diabetic, and displaying all the symptoms of diabetic shock, the officers believed him to be under the influence and dragged him out of his truck and tasered him. Their justification? He failed to communicate with them. Did it occur to them that they might have a medical emergency? No, of course not. Tase first, ask questions later. This individual's blood sugar level at the time was 11. (Normal is between 75 and 150. The average is 100 and a diabetic should never get down below 80 or 85).

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Recent polls have suggested that just over 50% of Americans believe that (in regards to terrorists), there may be occasions when torture is necessary. Many Americans don't believe that waterboarding, for example, is torture. We court martialed American soldiers in Vietnam for waterboarding. We jailed a deputy sheriff in Texas a few years ago for waterboarding a suspect. We executed a Japanese war criminal for waterboarding after WWII.

In 2004, at the height of the Iraq war, when the Bush Administration was using "enhanced interrogation" techniques (read waterboarding and other torture techniques) on detainees - none of whom were actually charged with anything - inappropriate use of a Taser by US soldiers was cause for discipline.

In 2009, use of Tasers by our police forces is routine. Police officers pulling school duty, there to keep our kids safe and prevent another Columbine, are enforcing cell phone rules? Instead of receiving training on conflict resolution and how to deal with difficult people, they what, just hand out Tasers to rookies? Since when is it appropriate to Taser someone because they don't want to be arrested? Or sign a ticket? Since when is it illegal to argue with the police? If someone is already on the ground, they're down! They don't need to be tasered, too. Since when is shoving anyone, much less 72-year old women okay? Why was she arrested? What was the charge? Belligerence? WTF? I'd like to see that law on the books. It is illegal to have attitude? Right.

I'm delighted that law enforcement reaches for Tasers more frequently than their guns, but using Tasers is lazy and it's dangerous. They don't know who has a medical condition exacerbated by an electrical charge. They don't learn how to negotiate and think, to use critical thinking skills. If they're not bright enough to talk someone down, they shouldn't be out on the street with a gun.

We had a situation here in my town several years ago in which the officer reached for her Taser, and grabbed her gun. She didn't realize it until she killed the individual she wanted to subdue - after a routine traffic stop in which the victim didn't cooperate fast enough or in the way that she wanted. Tasers are tools just as are guns. With the mindset that Tasers are harmless and that police have the right to instant obedience and cooperation without explanation, we will continue to have more and more stories of tragedies with Taser in the headline.

Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon.
k