Tasers

Taser is an acronym for the Tom A. Swift Electronic Rifle. It is a brand name for an electronic device for the control of people. It was first developed in the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1990s, the Taser was introduced to law enforcement use as an alternative to the use of deadly force. It has been reported that as of 2007, more than 11,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States use the Taser. Although in itself the Taser is a race-neutral tool, police use of the Taser has been disproportionately directed toward minorities. This entry describes Tasers, principles of use of force escalation, and issues related to race and the use of Tasers.

A Taser is a hand-held device that fires two small darts, connected to the device with thin wires, up to a distance of approximately 35 feet. The darts can penetrate clothing and once they make contact with the target, a 50,000-volt electric shock is transmitted. The electric shock results in the disruption of the target's nervous system, resulting in the temporary incapacitation of the target. The Taser is not considered a firearm because it uses compressed nitrogen to launch the darts. A Taser can also be used as a stun gun by pressing it directly against the body of the target, thereby administering the electric shock.

Since the practical recognition of civil rights by the Warren Court concerning police abuse in the 1960s, the improper use of deadly force has become a significant problem for law enforcement agencies. The U.S. Supreme Court decision of Tennessee v. Garner (1985) highlighted that there were significant limits to the use of deadly force under the Bill of Rights.

The general principle of escalation of force by law enforcement consisted of the following continuum: verbal control, hand control, handcuffs, mace, batons, and finally firearms. The huge gap between the use of the baton and the use of a firearm presented problems for law enforcement. As a result, a number of people shot by law enforcement personnel, who arguably should not have been shot, could have been saved if there was a less-lethal alternative.

A number of alternatives were tried. The Taser, in the 1990s, became the primary selection of law enforcement as a nonlethal alternative to the use of deadly force where the baton was insufficient to control persons. However, the Taser has presented its own set of problems, which have resulted in lawsuits and limiting legislation.

Many law enforcement agencies have reported outstanding success concerning the Taser. These agencies cite numerous examples where the use of the Taser has prevented the use of deadly force in many situations, thereby saving lives. There is little doubt that the availability of a nonlethal tool to control people who need to be subdued is much preferable to the use of a firearm.

As of 2007, according to Amnesty International USA, there had been at least 250 deaths as a result of the use of the Taser by law enforcement in the United States and Canada, which belies the “nonlethal” claim concerning the use of the Taser. Many [Page 790]of the deaths have been attributed to related medical conditions, such as heart disease, to illicit drug use at the time the Taser was used, and to Tasers.

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