Research on the use of taser's (Conductive Energy Device CED) in various communities that have modified the deployment protocols after performance audits. The studies are posted.
A number of "community reviews" with regard to the use and deployment of tasers are posted in the section : Taser Reports - performance audits - Best Practices and listed as PDF downloads, at the bottom of the page and represent the conclusions of those communities, Universities and others. I have also added some reports about toxic chemicals, behavior and mental illnesses, there. While I am reviewing current information and intend to make another sub-page for that topic, please note: "Tasers are not a substitute for electroshock therapy, for the Mentally Ill - Toxic Victims". The Toxic Lotto may very well be a factor in deaths that have been associated with the use of tasers. According to a Congressional Report,various agencies track less than 6& of the 1,400 toxic chemicals known to impact human health (157a). So while I can not (as an Environmental Technologist) say that "toxic chemical soup exposure is the problem",no one can really say that it is not. In reference, Google search terms "Toxic Revelations" and my blog "Toxic Reverend - Revelations" With specific reference to that statement "Tasers are not a substitute for electroshock therapy, for the Mentally Ill - Toxic Victims" are two reports published by the "International Association of Chiefs of Police" http://www.theiacp.org One report concerns their opinion on a nine step strategy for better taser deployment. The other report concerns improving police response to people with mental illnesses (as the mentally ill do appear to be a sub-population that is often tasered). The following two reports that I believe are of use with this subject, because tasers are most often used on people with psychological problems. While I am not qualified to tell the police how to do their jobs, I am stressing a couple of reports from those that are. You might want to read their reports, for yourself. Just to ensure that I am not making any mistaken presentations. Again, both of the next two reports are published by "International Association of Chiefs of Police" http://www.theiacp.org June 2010 report titled: Improving Police Response to Persons with Mental Illness (PDF report link) Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology A Nine-Step Strategy for Effective Deployment (pdr report link) "Banning tasers in law enforcement makes less sense than trying to take away their guns and ammunition. The simple facts are that tasers can and do save lives, when used in lieu of "Deadly Force". Unfortunately, tasers have often been used to "achieve compliance" from uncooperative subjects> Even though there was not a "clear and present danger" that would have justified the use of "Lethal Force". Tasers have been used in far too many instances as "cattle prods". Instances, in which the use of "Lethal Force" would not have been justified. Presently, I am reviewing information from the journal issue, funded by CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, highlights research on youth violence prevention that engages the community in all phases of program planning, implementation, and evaluation Violence Prevention and Youth Violence Prevention. This should (I hope) also be addressed in the Center For Disease Control and Preventions on going and up coming National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures Regardless of the few "rogue policeman" that abuse them and the mega publicity that they get for such abuses, there is still some room for improvements with the use and deployment of tasers. To be clear about this; A report titled "Broken System" does document that about 5% of police being responsible for about 50% of the cases of police abuse, in one community. Another point of contention is the manner in which tasers were marketed as "safe". While tasers are far less lethal than bullets, there are some inherent dangers with the use of them. We do live in a society that has to label coffee from fast food restaurants with a caution about it's being hot and dangerous. So maybe tasers deserve no less of a disclaimer label ? After all, a taser manufacturer just payed out $2,8 million over a liability suit. So there does have to be some level of accountability with "truth in advertisement". ________________ Editing in progress : It is worth noting that Nashville had suspended the use of tasers for two years and then brought the use of them back. After trying some "alternatives".
"I-Team:
Injection Used To Subdue Prisoners -
Nashville News Story - WSMV Nashville"
The link: to the story is http://www.wsmv.com/news/16844880/detail.html?taf=nash .......
News release from the
Nashville Police Department on taser redeployment
May 29, 2008
Excerpt:
Chief Ronal Serpas today announced that the Metropolitan Police Department next
month will begin redeploying Taser devices to specially trained and certified patrol
and Flex officers in the six precincts.
End of excerpt from:
In my humble opinion, one of the better
studies is posted at the "Reports - performance
audits - Best Practices" section as a PDF
report :>
best practices UCLA Taser Report August Final.pdf
Another good report is:
20080319.pdf
(application/pdf) 1,320K Committee on a Civil, Safe, and Open Environment Excerpt: The above report are conclusions based on their prior research, such as, but not limited to their report of November 20, 2007 "Issues, as reflected in policies, laws, and best practices, related to health, security and safety, including the use of force, particularly tasers". Committee on a Civil, Safe, and Open Environment |