Taser Deaths: Taser is Not to Blame

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the electronic defense weapon known as the Taser and how it works. The writer explains the guidelines prepared by the International Association of Police for recommended Taser use, which also include recommendations for educating the community about Taser technology and its use as an alternative to deadly force. The paper relates that, in the absence of specific legislation on Taser policy, Taser use currently depends on the individual agency. The paper then discusses a case where use of the Taser was abused. The author concludes that Taser death is, in the majority of cases, not the cause of death, but instead may be blamed upon the officer with the Taser or the department that has failed to train its police force in the proper use of the Taser. This paper includes a figure.

Outline:
Background
Departmental Safety Precautions
Appropriate and Inappropriate Use of Tasers
Operational Procedures for Taser Use
Education of Public About Taser Deaths
Safety of Taser Use in Case Study Reports
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The OLR Research Report relates operational procedures to include that officers should: (1) Issue warnings before activating an electronic defense weapon (unless doing so would endanger another person); (2) When applicable, alert other officers at an incident scene of their intent to activate a weapon; (3) Use brightly colored weapons (e. g. , yellow) thereby reducing the risk of escalating force and decreasing the possibility that a secondary unit mistakes the weapon for a firearm; (4) Carry the weapon on their weak support side to avoid accidentally drawing or firing their sidearm; (5) Set their weapons in the "probe mode" as the primary option, and use "stun mode" as a secondary option; and (6) Use the weapon for one standard cycle and stop to evaluate the situation."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Jayadev, Raj (2007) Wake Forest Taser Study Ignores the Elephant in the Room, 294 Dead and Counting. South Bay. 18 Oct 2007. Online available at: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/18/18454575.php
• Rose, Veronica (2007) Taser Use Guidelines. OLR Research Report 2007-R-0068 18 Jan 2007. Online available at: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/rpt/2007-R-0068.htm
• Tomaschko, Lauren (2005) Riding Lightning: A Strategic Assessment Concerning the Use of Tasers in Law Enforcement. Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. 2005 May. Online available at: http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/fcjei/analyst_info/analyst%20academy/assessments%20class%204/lauren%20tomaschko%20assessment.pdf
• White, Michael D. and Ready, Justin (2007) The TASER as a Less Lethal Force Alternative: Findings on the Use and Effectiveness in a Large Metropolitan Police Agency. Police Quarterly 2007 10; 170 Online available at: http://pqx.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/10/2/170.
• Claims over Tasers' Safety are Challenged (2004) Sudden Taser Death Syndrome Emergency Medicine Law 2004 Nov 6. Online available at: http://symtym.com/2004/11/sudden_taser_death_syndrome/

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