Police: Gun Deaths vs Taser Deaths.

[SouthernDem2004]

Greetings.

Not waying in on the Taser debate. I just want to clear up one misconception. I have seen numerous people posting that more people are being killed by Police tasering then by firearms. That is not even close to true. The UCR report for 2004 is still not compete but here are past years stats for firearm deaths by Police:
1999: 305
2000: 308
2001: 375
2002: 338
2003: 363


I personally have misgivings about Tasers. I think this debate is important and people opposing their use need all the facts. Firearm use is unrelated and should probably not be part of the debate. Just my opinion....

[bryant69]

1. The obvious solution

No more cops. I mean if cops are out there shooting people and tasering them, than we don't need them. Just eliminate law enforcment and these problems would dissappear.

Course, we might have other problems in that situation.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Demit]

2. I agree. The debate should not be about tasers vs. guns.

It should be about the too-enthusiastic use of tasers, period. Tasers vs. whatever means of control were used before police got those handy-dandy tasers.

[MemphisTiger]

3. That reminds me of the scene in Meet the FOckers

where greg gets tazed and the cop just keeps jolting him while he's twitching on the side of the road.:rofl:

[havocmom]

4. Since tasers have been used on people already in restraints,

one might consider the focus might be on better psych screening of potential police officers and more frequent evaluations of their mental state once hired.

A taser used on a cuffed, or on the ground, or even unconscious person is NOT a means of control, it is a means of torture.

Using it on someone who really is a threat is fine, but we are hearing too many stories about other conditions and that is a serious failure of controlling cops' behavior.

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. I haven't heard people say that more were killed with tasers -

only that tasers are being used in situations in which the cops would never have resorted to guns. They are not only being used as a substitute for firearms, but aslo as a substitute for batons and talk. Situations which are not close to escalating to lethal threats, where they just want to wrap it up quickly.

I mean, tasering a six year old. How stupid would you have to be?

I would not be surprised if the stats show that not only has the use of the taser increased exponentially, but that police shootings have not significantly decreased at the same time. It's an overall trend toward quicker use of violence as our civil society continues to be burdened with the worship of strength and glorifying of the violent.

One of the traits of a fascist society.