Taser-A weapon to protect or to kill

Taser is an electroshock weapon device that is used by the police forces. It is supposed to be a less-lethal weapon, compared to standard firearms, for the suspect and also for the surrounding civilians. A Taser shoots two dart like electrodes connected to the weapon with wires, the electrodes penetrate skin or clothing and then shock the suspected person. It is absolutely safe... almost.

It is supposed to lower the possibility of death but somehow the cases of death when using this weapon occur. This weapon was first put on usage by the police in 1999, since that there have been many arguable situations with taser usage. In general there have been over 300 confirmed taser deaths in the world between 2001 and 2007, the cause in most of them is disputed, but they all occurred after taser usage.

The most infamous incident with death after Taser usage occurred in Canada at the Vancouver International Airport on 13 October 2007. Robert Dziekański, a 40 year old Polish immigrant, who had a 14 hours flight and over 10 hours at the immigration service, had a panic attack and was tasered five times by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers. He spoke no English and the officers haven't even tried to communicate with, the paramedics came too late. The situation was filmed on a cell phone and later posted on the web. The whole situation was a big international scandal, but the main problem was not the security officers, or the medics, or the Airport employees. The main problem was the Taser.

Another Canadian case just two month away from the tragedy in Vancouver Airport, occurred on October 14th, 2007, when Quilem Registre, 39 years old, was stopped in Montreal's St-Michel district with suspicion of driving under the influence. He was tasered six times and died four days later in at Sacré-Coeur Hospital. The versions of the family members and the police officers are different, but that is not the point, the point is why the police have fired six shocks, when one is supposed to be enough. It can be expected psychologically, the officers are used that the firearms are deadly and tasers are safe, so the officer is naturally firing more shots to be sure that the target is hit and incapable of resistance.

This small analysis demonstrates that even the safest measures can be not safe. The police units definitely need additional training with this weapon before it is used on the streets. The main problem of the modern technologies (from personal care to space technologies) is that money is the key point; if something is developed the company needs to sell it as soon as possible so the money spent on development is covered. That's why sometimes the products lack additional testing, even when lives are on the line. After the incident at Vancouver International Airport, the Toronto Police and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, have put large orders of tasers for on hold, but that will barely be a good news for the families of the taser victims.


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