TOPIC: Use of taser guns Tasers help officers avoid being used as punching bags
A policeman is hired to uphold the law, not to be a punching bag for every roughneck who doesn’t want to go peacefully.
Face it, some folks won’t go in without a fight. This means officers of the law sometimes have to use force to take people into custody. This puts both the lawman and the offender at risk as simple tussles can accelerate into something where people get seriously injured or even killed.
This is why the taser is the best answer as it deploys a minimum amount of force to subdue the suspect. It’s better than pepper spray in that the affects, aside from two burn marks on the skin, go away pretty fast while the affects of spray can last for days. And, spray can be fatally dangerous to persons with breathing problems or allergic reactions. Plus, spray generally won’t work on a person under the influence of some types of drugs while the taser goes right to the nervous system, stopping the person immediately.
One of the best parts about the taser is that it can be deployed both from a distance, to maybe drop an armed person, or at close range, to stop a person attacking an officer. Meanwhile, something like a night stick is only a close-range instrument and can do much more harm than a taser. And, of course, firearms are the last answer.
Now I’m not condoning officers going out and using tasers on a whim. Only in cases where an issue cannot be settled without violence should the taser be used. Also, there should be a list of incidents involving tasers for public inspection so the public can know if an officer is abusing their taser privilege.