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Tasers Implicated In Far More Deaths Than We Previously Thought (fastcompany.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the seriously-don't-tase-me-bro dept.

tedlistens writes: Independent studies have showed that when deployed correctly -- according to "guidelines" manufacturer Axon offers to police -- Tasers reduce injuries among both officers and the people they subdue. But amid a lack of official data about their use and effects, a new report by Reuters found 1,005 incidents in the U.S. in which people died after police stunned them with the electrical weapons, most since the early 2000s. The Taser was ruled to be a cause or contributing factor in 153 of those deaths -- far more than the 24 cases the company has counted. Reuters found that 9 in 10 of those who died were unarmed and one in four suffered from mental illness or neurological disorders; In 9 of every 10 incidents reviewed, the deceased was unarmed; More than 100 of the fatal encounters began with a 911 call for help during a medical emergency. Earlier this year, Axon rebranded, dropping the name Taser International to underscore its focus on body cameras and digital evidence, which is meant in part to add new transparency to fatal police encounters.

3 of 191 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Don't Tase Me, Bro! by meerling · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Also, the availability of tasers has decreased police de-escalating situations and they quickly go to the I don't give a shit just fucking tase them approach.
    Not a good thing.
    They also like to use the, but it's non-lethal excuse.
    Any kind of assault by police should be a last resort instead their current go to attitude.

  2. Re:Abuse the force, Luke by BlueStrat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I suppose you would just let them go, or resort to putting yourself in harms way to subdue such a person?

    Yes.

    If officers put their own safety over that of the public they're sworn to protect and serve such that they will not put themselves in harm's way to avoid taking a possibly-innocent life, then I want them gone last week. Full stop.

    Strat

    --
    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.
  3. Re:Abuse the force, Luke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Do you know of any case where a taser have been used instead of the officer reaching for his gun in a case like that?

    Seems like tasers are mainly used where the situation could have been dealt with verbally.