Tasers

[4CHP]

I just watched a news segment on the use tasers by police departments. The report said that three people in Las Vegas has died from being tased by the police.
The families are also sueing the Las Vegas Metro police.

I seem to recall that the CHP does not use tasers. Has its use been considered though? What are your thoughts on the use of tasers?

[dw]

I don't have any numbers in front of me right now, but in the vast majority of tazer involved deaths, there are other factors -- generally drugs, which directly led to death. We do not have tazers, but are evaluating them as I write. I believe they have been deployed to three field Areas.

I look forward to the day we are all issued tazers. They save far more lives (which is much more difficult to measure) than the deaths they may be involved with. If you have the choice of being shot with a gun, or tazed, which would you take? I'd get tazed any day of the week. It may sound humurous, but I don't intend to be. There are several cases I'm personally familiar with where tazers could have almost certainly averted an officer-involved shooting. The gains FAR outweigh any risks.

[4CHP]

One of the question I have is, assuming the department gets tasers, would officers have to go through being tazed as part of the training?

Not looking forward to that, :shock:

[Mac]

They're being tested in 4 field offices right now. Being tased is not a required part of the training, but many have been volunteering as 'victims', just so they know what it feels like to be on the other end of it.

[Your Mentor]

Sign me up for a jolt:razz:

[Your Mentor]

Our captain mentioned at the last squad meeting that they intend to issue tasers to everyone; after the testing process is complete of course. You know how that goes though. It could be years. They were going to put automatic defibulators in each patrol car and that program was started five or six years ago. I haven't seen one yet. It took nearly four years of testing before we got automatic pistols (though I have to say I'd go back to my GP100 6" .357 mag in a heartbeat if they let me). It took over ten years before the ASP was adopted after evaluation began. So who knows what will happen with the taser. The law suits have had an enormous affect on Taser Corp. stock and public opinion. You know how the Department is about public opinion. I'd say it's anyone's guess at this point. Outfitting 6,000 uniformed with tasers seems like an overwhelming budget issue. Unless some up-and-coming hot shot writes a grant proposal and finds some federal funds to cover the cost (and gives his or her manager the credit:neutral:, buit I'm not bitter). My problem, personally, is that I don't have anymore room on my duty belt. I don't want to dump my second set of cuffs or my rubber glove pouch (I'm a DRE and use them constantly). Who knows. I guess I could gain about 50 lbs and add a few inches to my waist (plus new uniforms, etc.) NOT.

This taser program will definitely be interesting to watch.

[gabriel]

Sorry to revive this, but I was watching a YouTube video of an Ohio State Patrol officer who (as a last result) tasered an uncooperative individual. Seeing as backup for Highway Patrol officers is sometimes 10 minutes (or more) away I would think this would be an obvious choice for the CHP.

But I digress, I wonder if the CHP has recently said anything about implementation within the Department?

[SB 405]

Check out this poor soul. Better get him on some stronger meds.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me4Wk7OM7XU

[AspiringToBeChp]

LOL was he screaming " Battery cables!!"?