The Use of Tasers by Police Officers - Essay Example

Running Head: Use of Tasers by Police officers Use of Tasers by police officers Customer’s Name: Institution: Customer’s Course Tutor’s Name January 3, 2013. Introduction Increasingly, various law enforcement agencies all over the world have at times or are currently applying tasers as been the best tactical option. Tasers are commonly termed as non lethal stun weapons that are used in delivering shock by the aspect of shooting two barbed darts that have been attached to a gun by the use of wires into the skin of an individual. The weapon pierces the skin and leads to severe pain to an individual and it has various medical risks and safety risks that are closely associated to it. Based on this the use of tasers has been limited and it is mostly used when there seems to be a real danger or threat to the members of the society or to the police. The use of tasers has at times caused death or at times the culprits have been seriously injured. This in turn led to public dispute and heated debates about the application of tasers (Amnesty International, 2008). The use and application of tasers have continued to generate a lot of debate as well as interest within international community and the national community. The use of enforcement of law has over time increased over the last decade and tasers are seen as been a useful way in which the police can resolve violence as well as other confrontational incidents that may occur (Tuttle, 2012). However there seems to be a lot of concern on the use of tasers since at times they are mishandled or misused and they eventually lead to death and serious injuries. Discussion There have been various arguments on the use of tasers; while some individual’s feels that they ought to be used others have a contradicting argument in that they say that the use of tasers by police men ought to be discontinued. Those in support of the use of tasers by the police argue that tasers seems to be the best alternative to lethal force. Various individual have requested the government to make tasers available to the police since they have been applying lethal force so as to get the required information from the criminals. In this case tasers are therefore viewed as been an alternative that the policemen can apply since they seem to be effective when it comes to resolving potentially violent situations and thus reducing the need to turn to lethal force (NSW Ombudsman, 2008). The supporters of tasers use also assert that tasers assist a lot in reducing the level of assaults on the policemen. For example in Australia it has been found out that about 10% of the policemen are assaulted every year and it has been claimed that by the use of tasers the number of policemen assaulted can be reduced considerably. Also those in support of the use of tasers are of the opinion that the use of tasers reduces the injuries to the members of the society and the policemen. Various literatures have canvassed that the use of tasers can eventually result in a reduction in the number of injured police men rather than in the number of assaulted policemen (Vilke et al., 2007). Various law enforcement bodies have argued that tasers are more likely to reduce the number of injuries to the officers and also individuals threatening policemen. The manufacturers of the tasers weapons Tasers international have noted that there has been a note worthy decrease in the nu8mber of policemen who have been injured by tasers and also a considerable decrease on injuries when it comes to the subjects (Tuttle, 2012). Research have proved that the risk of injury to the subjects as well as to the officers tend to increase when the police officers tries to suppress the individual by the use of physical force, impact weapons and also by the use of police dogs. It is therefore clearly depicted that the number of injuries can be reduced if the police officers are able to subdue the individual’s from a distance and this can only be possible by the use of teasers (Vilke et al., 2007). Since tasers can be applied even when an individual is several meters away and thus there will be non physical contacts between them. Thus by the use of tasers there will be lower chances of injuries to the subjects and to the policemen. It has also been found that tasers are effective in resolving violent incidents. Tasers are commonly promoted as application of force option that can assist the officers a lot when it comes to resolving potentially violent and violent situations which may occur in their line of duty. This is mainly based on the fact that in the probe mode the tasers does not only rely on the pain that have been inflicted so as to obtain the individual compliance, thus a person who seems to be impervious to the pain that is inflicted, will still be incapacitated by the use of the tasers and be restrained (NSW Ombudsman, 2008). For example in the US, the application of force by the officers in two of US law enforcement bodies approves that the tasers seems to be the most efficient method in ending a confrontation. The supports of the use of tasers by police men also asserts that tasers seems to be a deterrent. A number of evidence shows that individuals tend to be compliant when officers uses tasers on them and it has prove efficient in that the police at times do not need to fire the weapon. Irrespective of the numerous number of supporting arguments that have been made on the use of tasers there have been a number arguments that tend to be against the use of tasers by police and most of them argue that the use of tasers by the police need to be discontinued. One of the major arguments that seem to be against the use of tasers is related to the risk of death or the serious injury after the application of tasers (Amnesty international, 2008). Amnesty international has alleged that since the year 2001 a great number of people have died as a result of application of tasers in the Canada and US. And therefore tasers have been listed as been one of the major causes or a contributing factor to death. Those who are against the use of tasers have also claimed that the use of tasers mainly leads to excites delirium and it has a close connection to death. Also those who are against the use of tasers are concerned with the recent number of deaths that have been linked to incidents that have in one way or another involved the application of tasers by the police officers. There have been various deaths which have been closely linked to the use of tasers all over the world. For example in Australia a man who was armed with two knives is reported to have died after been subjected to tasers by the police officers (Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011). Also those who are against the use of tasers claim that there are times in which the police officers misuse the tasers. Mission creep is commonly referred to use the tendency of the officers to apply the tasers even in situations where they are not supposed to be applied. Those against the use of asters argue that officers will increasingly apply the tasers in the aim of obtaining the compliance of the subjects even in instance where there seems to be no sufficient harm, threat r injury to justify the application of the tasers (Mayhew, 2001). This issue seems to be of a great concern to the individuals who argue against the application of tasers or at times a more restricted use of tasers. It has also been found that officers at times applies tasers sob as to torture or at times inflict cruel as well as inhumane or degrading treatment on the individuals who have been detained. Conclusion Based on the above discussion it is evident that there seems to be various groups of people who are in support of the use of tasers while others are not in support of their use. Those who are in support of their use of tasers claim that: tasers seems to be the best alternative to lethal force that is applied by the officers, tasers can potentially reduce injuries that are inflicted on the members of the society and also on the officers, assist the police in resolving violent incidents and can act as an effective deterrent. Those who are against its use also claims that: there seem to be high risks of death due to the application of tasers, high risk of injury, application of tasers as compliance devices and the misuse of tasers by the officers. Based on the discussion it seems evident that tasers ought to be abolished and they should not be used by the offers and this is mainly based on the fact that it tends to cause more harm than good. Since through its use a great number of people seem to die or are injured seriously. Another argument is based on the fact that a number of officer’s tend to use the device so as to make the victims to comply and they at times use it for other uses rather than the initially intended use. Thus the use of tasers by police officers ought to be discontinued. References Amnesty International (2008). ‘Less than Lethal’? The Use of Stun Weapons in US Law Enforcement. London: amnesty international publications. Crime and Misconduct Commission (2011). Evaluating Tasers Reforms: A review of Queensland Police Service policy and practice. Australia: Crime and Misconduct Commission. Mayhew, C. (2001). ‘Occupational Health and Safety Risk Faced by Police Officers’, Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 196, Australian Institute of Criminology. NSW Ombudsman (2008). The Use of Tasers Weapons by New South Wales Police Force, retrieved from: http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/3379/The-use-of-Taser-weapons-by-NSW-Police-Force.pdf Tuttle, S. (2012). ‘TASER® Electronic Control Devices (ECDs): Field Data and Risk Management Summary, IACP Annual Conference. Vilke, G., Sloane, C., Bouton, K., Kolkhorst, F., Levine, S., Neuman, T., Castillo, E. & Chan, T. (2007). Physiological effects of a conducted electrical weapon on human subjects. Ann Emerg Med. 2007, Nov; 50 (5): 569-575. Read More

Various literatures have canvassed that the use of tasers can eventually result in a reduction in the number of injured police men rather than in the number of assaulted policemen (Vilke et al., 2007). Various law enforcement bodies have argued that tasers are more likely to reduce the number of injuries to the officers and also individuals threatening policemen. The manufacturers of the tasers weapons Tasers international have noted that there has been a note worthy decrease in the nu8mber of policemen who have been injured by tasers and also a considerable decrease on injuries when it comes to the subjects (Tuttle, 2012).

Research have proved that the risk of injury to the subjects as well as to the officers tend to increase when the police officers tries to suppress the individual by the use of physical force, impact weapons and also by the use of police dogs. It is therefore clearly depicted that the number of injuries can be reduced if the police officers are able to subdue the individual’s from a distance and this can only be possible by the use of teasers (Vilke et al., 2007). Since tasers can be applied even when an individual is several meters away and thus there will be non physical contacts between them.

Thus by the use of tasers there will be lower chances of injuries to the subjects and to the policemen. It has also been found that tasers are effective in resolving violent incidents. Tasers are commonly promoted as application of force option that can assist the officers a lot when it comes to resolving potentially violent and violent situations which may occur in their line of duty. This is mainly based on the fact that in the probe mode the tasers does not only rely on the pain that have been inflicted so as to obtain the individual compliance, thus a person who seems to be impervious to the pain that is inflicted, will still be incapacitated by the use of the tasers and be restrained (NSW Ombudsman, 2008).

For example in the US, the application of force by the officers in two of US law enforcement bodies approves that the tasers seems to be the most efficient method in ending a confrontation. The supports of the use of tasers by police men also asserts that tasers seems to be a deterrent. A number of evidence shows that individuals tend to be compliant when officers uses tasers on them and it has prove efficient in that the police at times do not need to fire the weapon. Irrespective of the numerous number of supporting arguments that have been made on the use of tasers there have been a number arguments that tend to be against the use of tasers by police and most of them argue that the use of tasers by the police need to be discontinued.

One of the major arguments that seem to be against the use of tasers is related to the risk of death or the serious injury after the application of tasers (Amnesty international, 2008). Amnesty international has alleged that since the year 2001 a great number of people have died as a result of application of tasers in the Canada and US. And therefore tasers have been listed as been one of the major causes or a contributing factor to death. Those who are against the use of tasers have also claimed that the use of tasers mainly leads to excites delirium and it has a close connection to death.

Also those who are against the use of tasers are concerned with the recent number of deaths that have been linked to incidents that have in one way or another involved the application of tasers by the police officers. There have been various deaths which have been closely linked to the use of tasers all over the world. For example in Australia a man who was armed with two knives is reported to have died after been subjected to tasers by the police officers (Crime and Misconduct Commission, 2011).

Also those who are against the use of tasers claim that there are times in which the police officers misuse the tasers. Mission creep is commonly referred to use the tendency of the officers to apply the tasers even in situations where they are not supposed to be applied.

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