Tazers

Duderonomy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/jun/16/taser-technologyLast winter Jacqui Smith - still the home secretary - said that she would place an order for 10,000 stun guns for officers across England and Wales. Not everybody was so keen to arm up - shortly afterwards, the Metropolitan Police Authority said it had no intention of using Tasers because of "the potential to cause fear and damage public confidence if the use of Tasers is extended".But that didn't stop the order going ahead - an order so large, in fact, that it merited a mention in Taser's latest financial report, which pointed out that a "significant shipment... to the UK government" had boosted the company's $10.5m profit for the first three months of 2009.Precisely how many of those 10,000 units have already made their way into UK police hands? Taser wouldn't say, merely stating that the shipment "included follow on orders" for guns and cartridges.

Great.

Jimster

This was in Nottingham.

Nothing to see here. Pie-Man giving it large, resisting arrest. I'd rather be tasered than be on the end of some of the pie-man-on-pie-man beatings I've seen. You wander around town after midnight, there is a vibe that wasn't there when I were a nipper.

Duderonomy

You wander around town after midnight, there is a vibe that wasn't there when I were a nipper.

For every justifiable use of a taser, there's bound to be a higher percentage of itchy-fingered pigs that are looking for an excuse to try out their new toy. Now there will be 10,000 of them. With all the neg press the Police have had lately regarding their over-zealous abuse of power, treating the symptoms of urban drink-related violence with 50,000 volts rather than addressing the causes is one of the reasons this country is going down the sh*tter. The idea of having an American-style "Get on the floor NOW motherf*cker!" Police that dish out beatdowns with no consequences is a whole new vibe that wasn't there when I was young either.

skel

Tazer them anti-social bastards.

I trust our police. They ain't going to tazer you if you behave like a decent human being.

I am also totally opposed to arming the police in any way. The Aged William have always abused their powers and can't be trusted.

Whilst recognising that these two views are contradictory, nevertheless and notwithstanding what the hey, you must deal. E&OE.

georgeibrahim

this was in nottingham

not surprised in the slightest, after going out in nottingham recently, i felt really quite unsafe walking to the train station from market square in the dark, the police there have a tough job on their hands with cheap booze freely available allowing people to get into a state where they cannot control their actions.

They ain't going to tazer you if you behave like a decent human being.

my thoughts exactly.

skel

Police reveal stun gun blunders

Police have fired Taser guns accidentally at least eight times in three years, it has emerged.

And at least one officer has shot himself with the controversial 50,000-volt stun weapon.

But the real figure on Taser mishaps could be far higher as just 22 smaller forces out of 44 in England and Wales replied to a Freedom of Information request to provide information.

The figures have emerged as ministers plan to issue thousands more Tasers to officers with only 18 hours training.

Accidental firings include a Gwent officer blasting the barbs into his finger.


Another officer from that force fired his Taser into the ground at HQ and was also "given advice". A Gwent spokesman said: "Before and after every shift officers check the Taser is fully operational.

"On these occasions the Taser cartridge was not removed before the check."

An officer from Hampshire, whose colleagues Tasered a 14-year-old, fired his stun-gun by mistake in 2008. Worst offender was Cambridgeshire with five accidental discharges. Controversial Taser incidents include North Wales police zapping an 89-year-old threatening to cut his throat.

Tasers, used 1,181 times since 2004, have been fired at dogs, a mad bull and even a sheep.

Police insist they save lives but The Independent Police Complaints Commission wants all complaints about Tasers referred to it. The IPCC recommends more training in Taser use.

source: Daily Mirror

Imperial_Mao

Tazer them anti-social bastards.

I trust our police. They ain't going to tazer you if you behave like a decent human being.

I too

nzshadow

Tazer them anti-social bastards.

I trust our police. They ain't going to tazer you if you behave like a decent human being.

I too

"They ain't going to tazer you if you behave like a decent human being."

Yup, F*ck em.

BTW "aged William" had me for a minute.

Jimster

cheap booze freely available allowing people to get into a state where they cannot control their actions.

It should not and has never been the police's responsibility to dictate how much you should drink. The problem is that in the UK being very, very drunk in public seems to be socially acceptable to many - almost the zenith of fun and the icing on the cake that is a good night out. They have no shame about it. On the continent, such public behaviour is generally frowned on.

How about they control their actions before they get into such a state, by, oh, I dunno, not necking ten Stellas and a line of powder? These are the causes that need to be addressed. Trouble is, they are not easy to address when they are socially ingrained.

Until such folk feel a sense of shame about it, they will always have another beer. I myself love a drink, but Stellas to me are like barrels to Jaws and after having 3 or so in me, I tend to become less mobile and very likely to fall asleep if stationary for any length of time. I don't harbour deep-seated insecurities which I vent out on the nearest bloke who looks at me funny, so the kiss of the taser is not hopefully in my future. But plenty of folk do.

I still can make an arse of meself when bladdered though. The last time I was drunk was at a wedding in May. It was an all-dayer, starting at 2 bells with no food being served until 9. I was five Stellas in by then. Apparently through the speeches, I talked very loudly with a cocker-ney floor layer who, on the evidence of previous meetings, I had deemed obnoxiously loud, and almost stumbled over several toddlers whilst attempting to pat one on the head as I left.

In the past I would have laughed such social faux pas off, God knows I've been far worse for wear and been more embarrassing, but this one, I still feel the shame. 'Spesh with the nippers. No tasers were involved though.

I must have had a bad pint.

Deegreez

DON'T TASE ME BRO

georgeibrahim

cheap booze freely available allowing people to get into a state where they cannot control their actions.

How about they control their actions before they get into such a state, by, oh, I dunno, not necking ten Stellas and a line of powder? These are the causes that need to be addressed. Trouble is, they are not easy to address when they are socially ingrained.

i agree, but i think you may have mis-interpreted what i said. You're right, it's not the police's responsibility to control how much we drink, that's our responsibility, but because its so easy to drink to vast excess' people's behaviour becomes uncontrollable which makes the job of policing them more difficult; hence i agree with the use of tazers in a situation where it would be difficult to control somebody who is out of line, the question then becomes- what actions are deemed out of line