Comments on: Tom Says: “To taser? …or not to taser?” http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/ Just another Rogers Radio Blog weblog Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:57:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.3-2.2.1 By: D J http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-88 D J Sun, 16 Dec 2007 17:14:59 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-88 Tom I love your wit and wisdom and while on patrol you keep me balanced and informed. I love your commentary on the taser just thought I would add my view. People I am sick and tired of police being criticized for doing their job by all the armchair wannabe's. Bottom line is, more police officers are killed by criminals than there are criminals killed by police officers. We are the ones getting killed , crippled and injured for merely doing our job to protect those who can not protect themselves. These people being tasered or shot or hit by police have put themselves in harms way, they CHOSE a set of actions that led them into a confrontation with authority. Police do not release criminals from prison, they do not release mentaly deranged people from hospital. Police do not sell drugs and liquor to people or let them drive drunk. Police clean up the mess that others created or allowed to happen. Police go in when people are running out, police come into your home to handle your husband , wife or kid that is out of control. Police chase the person that killed you, beat you, shot you or stabbed you. The taser can mean the difference between life and death, primarily for the officer and in the second part for the violator. So what if the person is on crack or coke or mentaly deranged what if they are enraged past the point of reason or in the throes of excited delerium should we say oh wait they could suffer if we tase them lets wrestle them until one of us gets hurt. A taser will stop that person from harming others and the officers on scene, maybe the person will collapse and die but the person being tased is the one responsible for their own fate. Do we make mistakes ......YES and we have to account for them, sometimes a police officer loses his control in a stressful situation and lays more hurt on a person than they needed to BUT a taser would have prevented that incident from becoming so physical. In the past year I have suffered two serious injuries when a taser was not available , one with a drugged up offender the other with a mentaly deranged person. In the first instance I was off work 14 weeks in the second I was off 5 weeks. In both cases the violator suffered no harm or injury I have permanent reminders of my encounters. I paid the price for not having the taser. D J Tom I love your wit and wisdom and while on patrol you keep me balanced and informed. I love your commentary on the taser just thought I would add my view.

People I am sick and tired of police being criticized for doing their job by all the armchair wannabe’s. Bottom line is, more police officers are killed by criminals than there are criminals killed by police officers. We are the ones getting killed , crippled and injured for merely doing our job to protect those who can not protect themselves. These people being tasered or shot or hit by police have put themselves in harms way, they CHOSE a set of actions that led them into a confrontation with authority. Police do not release criminals from prison, they do not release mentaly deranged people from hospital. Police do not sell drugs and liquor to people or let them drive drunk. Police clean up the mess that others created or allowed to happen. Police go in when people are running out, police come into your home to handle your husband , wife or kid that is out of control. Police chase the person that killed you, beat you, shot you or stabbed you. The taser can mean the difference between life and death, primarily for the officer and in the second part for the violator. So what if the person is on crack or coke or mentaly deranged what if they are enraged past the point of reason or in the throes of excited delerium should we say oh wait they could suffer if we tase them lets wrestle them until one of us gets hurt. A taser will stop that person from harming others and the officers on scene, maybe the person will collapse and die but the person being tased is the one responsible for their own fate. Do we make mistakes ……YES and we have to account for them, sometimes a police officer loses his control in a stressful situation and lays more hurt on a person than they needed to BUT a taser would have prevented that incident from becoming so physical. In the past year I have suffered two serious injuries when a taser was not available , one with a drugged up offender the other with a mentaly deranged person. In the first instance I was off work 14 weeks in the second I was off 5 weeks. In both cases the violator suffered no harm or injury I have permanent reminders of my encounters. I paid the price for not having the taser.

D J

]]> By: Allison http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-80 Allison Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:19:46 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-80 Yes i would like to know where is everybody's common sense with these taser's,and the death's they cause. Now what happen's to you if you have a heart attack and your heart stops they use a defibulator to start your heart. In other word's they give you a electric shock to start your heart but if they used this defibulator and your heart is say fine as you know,the electric shock from the defibulator can put your heart in cardiac arrest or stop it completly. So with these taser's they are useing and they can adjust the length of time the electric shock last's no wonder people are dying from them the voltage put out by a taser is about the same as a defibulator. Yes i would like to know where is everybody’s common sense with these taser’s,and the death’s they cause. Now what happen’s to you if you have a heart attack and your heart stops they use a defibulator to start your heart. In other word’s they give you a electric shock to start your heart but if they used this defibulator and your heart is say fine as you know,the electric shock from the defibulator can put your heart in cardiac arrest or stop it completly. So with these taser’s they are useing and they can adjust the length of time the electric shock last’s no wonder people are dying from them the voltage put out by a taser is about the same as a defibulator.

]]> By: David http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-79 David Tue, 04 Dec 2007 08:48:00 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-79 A very sensible approach you espouse here Tom. Too bad your a Liberal..... A very sensible approach you espouse here Tom. Too bad your a Liberal…..

]]> By: Dan Forbes http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-74 Dan Forbes Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:52:36 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-74 Why is it that we hear about it every time a Taser incident goes bad, but we never hear about it when someone gets hit with a Taser instead of a bullet and lives without any medical or physical damage? There are probably numerous times every day when the Taser gets used effectively without incident, and in most of these cases, there are two options, a Taser or a bullet. I like your chances better with the Taser. I've said it before and I'll say it again, if you don't want to get hit with the Taser, do what the Officer tells you to do!! Failure to do so may be harmful to your health!! Why is it that we hear about it every time a Taser incident goes bad, but we never hear about it when someone gets hit with a Taser instead of a bullet and lives without any medical or physical damage?
There are probably numerous times every day when the Taser gets used effectively without incident, and in most of these cases, there are two options, a Taser or a bullet. I like your chances better with the Taser.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you don’t want to get hit with the Taser, do what the Officer tells you to do!! Failure to do so may be harmful to your health!!

]]> By: C Folk http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-66 C Folk Wed, 28 Nov 2007 12:55:43 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-66 It's not quite so simple as "to taser or not to taser". As I understand it, the taser is supposed to be used as the last resort before a gun. If a suspect is armed with a knife or a club, a broken beer bottle, whatever, then that would seem an appropriate time to use a taser. What is so disturbing about the device is not that it exists, but that it is sometimes being used against unarmed people at the drop of a hat, not to mention that some of these people are mysteriously dying afterwards. Tasering a mouthy female prisoner simply to shut her up, or a distressed immigrant who has his hands up and backs away from police - how is this justified or appropriate? It’s not quite so simple as “to taser or not to taser”. As I understand it, the taser is supposed to be used as the last resort before a gun. If a suspect is armed with a knife or a club, a broken beer bottle, whatever, then that would seem an appropriate time to use a taser. What is so disturbing about the device is not that it exists, but that it is sometimes being used against unarmed people at the drop of a hat, not to mention that some of these people are mysteriously dying afterwards. Tasering a mouthy female prisoner simply to shut her up, or a distressed immigrant who has his hands up and backs away from police - how is this justified or appropriate?

]]> By: JJ Bear http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-65 JJ Bear Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:38:23 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-65 Dear Tom; Although the Taser is another tool for the enforcement officials to used when required....being a first responder throws up a yellow flag concerning high amounts of voltage going through someone's body. We use defribulators when attempting to revive a patient who has suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest, the obvious reason is to jump start a heart that has almost completed stopped beating. The defib uses electical shocks to stimulate the heart muscles to pump and hopefully the heart will continue to beat on its own without having to shock again. If someone should be in contact with the person we are attempting to defribulate, then the shock will stop this person's heart...so when it comes to an electric shock being sent through someone's body for approximately 5 seconds...this scares me. Most electricutions have an entry wound and an exit wound, hence the bruising that the reporter talked about the other day. In closing, it's not that I am against our police force having the tazer or taser, it's the circumstances in which the officer deams it necessary to use it. It is fairly prominate in the news as of late, even though they have been in use for a few years now. The UN does bring up a good point in stating that they feel it is a form of torture and that this needs to be addressed. Also, I think that most, if not all, police forces today carry 9mm hand guns, not 38's. I was really intrigued with the conversation around the poverty issued discussed during your program on Tuesday and wish to add comments regarding poverty, especially in First Nation Communities. Could you possibly reply to me as to when this will be on your blog. Thank-you Dear Tom;

Although the Taser is another tool for the enforcement officials to used when required….being a first responder throws up a yellow flag concerning high amounts of voltage going through someone’s body. We use defribulators when attempting to revive a patient who has suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest, the obvious reason is to jump start a heart that has almost completed stopped beating. The defib uses electical shocks to stimulate the heart muscles to pump and hopefully the heart will continue to beat on its own without having to shock again. If someone should be in contact with the person we are attempting to defribulate, then the shock will stop this person’s heart…so when it comes to an electric shock being sent through someone’s body for approximately 5 seconds…this scares me. Most electricutions have an entry wound and an exit wound, hence the bruising that the reporter talked about the other day.

In closing, it’s not that I am against our police force having the tazer or taser, it’s the circumstances in which the officer deams it necessary to use it. It is fairly prominate in the news as of late, even though they have been in use for a few years now.

The UN does bring up a good point in stating that they feel it is a form of torture and that this needs to be addressed. Also, I think that most, if not all, police forces today carry 9mm hand guns, not 38’s.

I was really intrigued with the conversation around the poverty issued discussed during your program on Tuesday and wish to add comments regarding poverty, especially in First Nation Communities. Could you possibly reply to me as to when this will be on your blog.

Thank-you

]]> By: Kevin Case http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-64 Kevin Case Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:57:36 +0000 http://blog.rogersradiointernet.com/tomyoung/2007/11/26/tom-says-to-taser-or-not-to-taser/#comment-64 I thought the "Taser" T-a-s-e-r. Was a non lethal alternative to deadly force. How can non lethal cause 18 deaths in Canada since 20 - 0 - 5? Excited delerium my foot. How many deaths from pepper spray in the past 3 years? Ban the taser!! I thought the “Taser” T-a-s-e-r. Was a non lethal alternative to deadly force. How can non lethal cause 18 deaths in Canada since 20 - 0 - 5? Excited delerium my foot. How many deaths from pepper spray in the past 3 years? Ban the taser!!

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