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I think the debate question should be changed to something like "Are the police violating the law, when they use a tazer on a non-threatening citizen?" because the question that is given, "Are the police violating the law when tasering an unarmed citizen?" can be answered with a simple "No".

Just because a citizen is unarmed, it does not mean that the citizen is non-threatening, and several other writers have already made mention of this. What if the citizen is trained in military CQC (close quarters combat)? What if the citizen is on PCP (a pain suppressing hallucinogen)? What if the citizen is off their medication, and is experiencing wild hallucinations and is extremely paranoid? Won't that citizen fight for their life, tooth and nail?

Because of these dangerous possibilities, police don't take any chances. If a citizen complies with a police officer's every command, then there should be no reason for the police officer to use excessive force. If a citizen is resisting arrest, then there is reason for a police officer to draw and use his tazer. If a citizen wants to argue and argue and argue, then there is no other alternative other than to force the citizen into custody in order to prevent the situation from escalating.

If I was, for some reason, mistakenly deemed a threat, or dangerous and was asked to put my hands on my head and lay face down on the ground. I would comply, even if I knew that it was all a big mistake, and I was innocent of all crimes.
I would not argue, because that would not help my situation. I would follow the officer's commands, and then calmly explain that I was not a threat and that I was sorry if I had done anything wrong, or anything that appeared to be wrong. Someone would be along to take my statement, and I would tell the absolute truth and I would answer every single question given to me, with the absolute truth. Eventually, everything would work out for the best, and I would probably be excused and given an apology for the mix up, because I cooperated and did not give them reason to give me a 50,000 volt jolt! If I had resisted arrest, they would have had legal grounds on which to arrest me, because I gave them that reason.
Everyone makes mistakes, including the police. If you know your innocent, don't argue and follow the officer's commands. If you're guilty, give up, otherwise, the police will tazer you, and it will hurt!

Now, if the question was, "Are the police violating the law, when they use a tazer on a non-threatening citizen?" then the answer would be an emphatic "Yes!" because they had no reason to use such excessive force on said person.

Since the question is "Are the police violating the law when tasering an unarmed citizen?" I must say "No!" because who knows what that citizen is capable of, without a weapon, let a lone with a weapon.

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