'The longest 5 seconds of my life'

Sgt. Mark Bourque announced the arrival of the Tyngsboro Police Department's new Taser program last night with a very loud, primal scream that lasted a full five seconds.

[John B]

Jesus Christ, this is torture.

[Smokestack Lightning]

Great. Now the Tyngsboro Police can administer pain effortlessly, to compel obedience. Those things should be banned.

[Chris]

"Very low risk of injury"

Yeah... except for the 450+ deaths caused by tasers since they were introduced.

[Chris]

http://truthnottasers.blogspot.com/2008/04/wh...

[Smokestack Lightning]

"It's the most effective non-lethal device used by law enforcement to date, with a very low risk of injury," said Faulkner.

I guess that depends on what you mean by "non-lethal."
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking3/Ta...

[kmuf]

Think about the alternative. A bullet would do so much more damage, possibly death. The taser won't be used on the every day person. It's to be used on a person threatening the police, evading the police, etc. Instead of loosing the person, or shooting the person, I think the taser is the best option. Is it perfect? No. But instead of having innocent people get hurt, this will stop the person of interest in a couple of seconds, letting the police restrain the "criminal". Until something else is invented, the taser makes more sense.

[Tyngsboro Resident]

Burkee you pussee! You screamed like a lil girl! Let's tase wags next!

[Bronson]

I've been tazed more than once for training purposes, I have also been Pepper Sprayed and if I had a choice between the two, I'd choose to be tazed. The effects wear off much quicker and it's easier to get a subject to comply with this tool.

I also have many good friends that are LAPD and Las Vegas Metro PD. Tazers have been in use there for a long time. Tazers have saved many lives. Although not a perfect solution (there is no perfect solution), it sure beats the alternative.

Really, it all boils down to whether or not you give the cop a reason to taze you or not. Give them a reason and ZAP!! Otherwise, what's the problem? It's non-lethal, just like Pepper Spray, Batons, Hand to Hand. The major difference is that it gives the officer a very powerful and useful tool to gain an advantage over someone that wants to hurt them for merely doing their job. They also allow officers to prevent people from harming themself.

If you have an issue woth tazers, it's because you don't understand them or are afraid that your lifestyle will cause you to someday get tazed - or both.

[Hal]

having to be tasered in order to carry one is so incredibly stupid! you dont have to be shot to carry a gun!!

It will really be a tragedy when one of these "health" officers with young children dies from this stupidity and the widow takes the town for all its' worth!

[Bronson]

Hal wrote:

having to be tasered in order to carry one is so incredibly stupid! you dont have to be shot to carry a gun!!
It will really be a tragedy when one of these "health" officers with young children dies from this stupidity and the widow takes the town for all its' worth!

That comment is so incredibly stupid! Tazers are less than lethal and Guns are lethal. Therfore, common sense dictates that to require someone to be shot in firearms training would have grave consequences. Pepper Spray training requires the Officer to be Pepper Sprayed as well.

This is actually to allow the Officer to experience the non-lethal effects of the tools that they are going to use on someone. If you get Tazered yourself (or pepper sprayed), and you feel the effects of what you will be doing to someone else, you are less likely to deploy that tool on another human being unless it's absolutely necessary.

When you take this training, you are required to fill out forms to release any liability. So, unless the instructor is grossly negligent and deploys the tazer incorrectly during the "videotaped" training, the widow is SOL.

[Juicin]

Wow looks like the cops can do all the juice they want. As long as your not in the NFL it legal?

[Smokestack Lightning]

kmuf wrote:

Think about the alternative. A bullet would do so much more damage, possibly death. The taser won't be used on the every day person. It's to be used on a person threatening the police, evading the police, etc. Instead of loosing the person, or shooting the person, I think the taser is the best option. Is it perfect? No. But instead of having innocent people get hurt, this will stop the person of interest in a couple of seconds, letting the police restrain the "criminal". Until something else is invented, the taser makes more sense.

You're assuming that "the alternative" is a bullet. That's not how tasers are being used in the world, despite the assurances of police departments and the Taser manufacturer. They are being used to inflict pain to force compliance. Ordinary people ARE being tased, at traffic stops, at public-speaking events, in cases of mistaken identity and misunderstood situations. Some of those people die.

Examples of taser misuse:
http://boingboing.net/2007/11/27/driver-taser...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/25/nat...
http://www.ky3.com/home/video/25829234.html

[Smokestack Lightning]

Check out those links quickly. I think The Sun has a policy of deleting comments that link to other news outlets, because if it's not in The Sun, you don't need to know about it!

[seriously]

would you rather be shot with a gun........

[Bronson]

Smokestack Lightning wrote:

<quoted text>
You're assuming that "the alternative" is a bullet. That's not how tasers are being used in the world, despite the assurances of police departments and the Taser manufacturer. They are being used to inflict pain to force compliance. Ordinary people ARE being tased, at traffic stops, at public-speaking events, in cases of mistaken identity and misunderstood situations. Some of those people die.
Examples of taser misuse:
http://boingboing.net/2007/11/27/driver-taser...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/25/nat...
http://www.ky3.com/home/video/25829234.html

OK, So what's your point? There are Cops that sometimes misuse every tool that they have. In fact, Doctors do too. That would be part of the human element in EVERY Profession. Deal with th eones that misuse but, don't deny everyone a toll that will save many more lives than it will ever take.

By your ideology, we should take away a Doctor's ability to prescribe Medication or perform surgery. After all, there are some that misuse that. We should also take away handcuffs, batons, guns, pepper spray and an officer's ability to take down a suspect, all of these are periodically misused and can sometimes kill people. Should we also take away pesticides from exterminators? Maybe we should stop Paramedics from using spine boards. They sometimes paralyze people if they don't do things correctly. Should people be allowed to drive? Many people get killed from other people misusing vehicles.

Your premise is way off base. Tazers are very effective and safe if used properly. Those that don't use it properly should be dealt with accordingly, just like any other profession that has something that can be harmful if misused.

As a law abiding citizen, Tazers make me safer and at the same time, help those with the job to keep me safe as they do that job.

[hawkeye]

This was great! I think they should take this show on the road. Friday night H.S. Football games(for both parents & players) & to schools for show and tell days(let the little ones know it's very important to listen to the nice police officer),pep rallies(can't forget the teenage years!), parades( there is always room for a few more cops), churches,(to remind those whom are in God's house to stay in line) any where that crowds gather.
Yes, in the wrong hands they might be dangerous, but then again, so isn't a pillow.

[Ron]

I support the use of tasers 100%. I feel safer already.

God bless the police.

[Dan in Chelms]

Smokestack Lightning wrote:

<quoted text>
I guess that depends on what you mean by "non-lethal."
http://www.november.org/stayinfo/breaking3/Ta...

How many people have died from using ladders and barbecue grills? Aspirin and peanut butter can kill as well. Please.

Chelmsford PD needs all the tools it can to keep people safe.

[Wondering]

Bronson wrote:

<quoted text>
When you take this training, you are required to fill out forms to release any liability. So, unless the instructor is grossly negligent and deploys the tazer incorrectly during the "videotaped" training, the widow is SOL.

Honey, where are my hip boots! Let's see, it's required training and you are forced to sign a form and give up your rights. It wouldn't take much of a lawyer to tear that apart. After the lawyer got done with the town he could go after the taser manufacturer and then file number of wrongful death civil suits.

[kmuf]

Smokestack Lightning wrote:

<quoted text>
You're assuming that "the alternative" is a bullet. That's not how tasers are being used in the world, despite the assurances of police departments and the Taser manufacturer. They are being used to inflict pain to force compliance. Ordinary people ARE being tased, at traffic stops, at public-speaking events, in cases of mistaken identity and misunderstood situations. Some of those people die.
Examples of taser misuse:
http://boingboing.net/2007/11/27/driver-taser...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/25/nat...
http://www.ky3.com/home/video/25829234.html

You must live in quite a world where people only do good things, no one ever does any kind of evil deed. Since that's the case, you won't need tasers! For those of us living in the real world, we have to hope that those who are weilding the power, use it with the guidelines given to them. Are there some who may misuse this power? Hopefully not, but I'm not Pollyanna, so there may be a few. If that is the case, then they need to be reprimanded accordingly. It may be a bit altruistic to think that people who may abuse the power won't have the power. Nothing is perfect, so we have to do the best we can with what we have.