by Tim Acosta

Created on: December 04, 2007

Police officers get a bad rap from using the Taser (which hasn't killed anyone yet that wasn't totally out of his wits on drugs or was going to die regardless of the taser usage). The bottom line is that the Taser saves lives. I had much rather get a five second ride from 50,000 volts (no amperage) than an old fashioned beat down from a baton or asp. The Taser when used with guidelines in a proper use of force matrix, can protect citizens and save countless lives.

Often times, police officers in larger cities deal with large numbers of psychotic and mentally ill people who will not be able to comprehend what the officer is trying to tell them. Mentally ill people are sometimes much stronger and will resist being taken into custody with a fervor unlike those who are sane. Many officers would have to resort to hand to hand fighting which leads to injury to the officer and to the person in custody. Citizens also don't realize that police officer are very limited to the force with which they can use on unarmed subjects. They cannot strike the ears, throat, eyes or groin unless deadly force is authorized. I would say there is about a seventy percent chance that a police officer will have to miss work after brawling with someone. After strenuous fights and life threatening battles, police officer injuries could cost their department two to three times as much his normal salary, making this an increased burden on the tax payers.
People who criticize our officers, the men in blue who often give their lives in the line of duty, just don't realize what many police officer have to put up with and handle on a daily basis. It is the toughest and most stressful job in the world. It is thankless and criticized from within their own department, their own local governments and from the citizens who often feel that their rights are being violated by someone who makes less money than they do. Most officers who are out there want to do the right thing when dealing with citizens. Police Officers love cracking and solving cases and making life saving decisions that help people. There isn't hardly anyone out there who hasn't had a positive experience with a police officer in some way shape or form unless they are a criminal or one of societies anarchist or extreme liberals who thinks that doing wrong should be the right thing to do.
Tasers are a tool that is necessary and convenient to the police. Crime has seen a reduction and arrests are up nation wide. This is most certainly good news for Americans and allot of the success of crime reduction is in due part caused by the taser. Just because one or two people get tasered by a cop that was not using his best judgment for that day, doesn't mean that everyone is going to get unlawfully tasered by a cop for running a stop sign. What it does mean though, is that its harder for a criminal or a psychotic person to get the upper hand on a police officer, if we continue to let them use the (electronic cartridge device) Taser. If you still don't believe me after all the arguments that I have set before you, try riding with a police officer for a night and see what they have to deal with and why it would be a good idea to have a Taser.

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