Man tasered after fighting with RCMP officers

[Roadster]

Depends on how much of what kind of dope they're on....

Agreed, some drugs can make a person ten times their usual, adrenaline alone can make someone a wild guy, add drugs and the fact that he really doesnt see himself going in tonight the way the cops would like.

Also I dont think all cops are strapping like they used to be, I think they have slackened that rule some compared to what it was many years ago. Could be wrong.

[Charles Whitman II]

nope, you're right.
When my dad went into training back in the day, you had to be male (gasp!) 5'10" (min) and 170lbs (min)
This had to be changed because it's a hate crime or something.

[FreeRights]

I'm prepared for the flames...

Tazers are an instrument of torture.

These, and all the other "non-lethal" weapons were introduced as an alternative to pulling their guns. They should only be deployed if the officer would have put a slug into the perp if he didn't have another choice. They use these things like toys for compliance.. as well as the mace.... how many strapping RCMP officers does it require to take down one guy?
Yours Truly,
The son of a 27 year member.
I have no problem with the "Force" just they way it applied in this day and age.

I'd much sooner have a police officer deploy a taser on someone who put themselves in the position to receive a shock than put themselves in greater risk by not deploying one.

[Trunk-Monkey]

I'd much sooner have a police officer deploy a taser on someone who put themselves in the position to receive a shock than put themselves in greater risk by not deploying one.

Couldnt agree more and that is what this situation was.

[Oxl3y]

At first blush it seemed an appropriate use of the tazer, but then I did notice the mention of a drug transaction. Given that taser deaths tend to be associated with those who are in a frenzied state (e.g. drugged, heart condition, and/or having anxiety/mental break - think Mr. Robert D at YVR) it does make me wonder if the tazer's use was appropriate. It seems that any implication of drugs at all should mean a switch to the baton and hand-to-hand rather than tazer. Better a few broken teeth and bruising than a stopped heart. All in all a fairly restrained response on the part of the officers, however.

It does make me wonder... how are police supposed to "see" a heart condition? It's worrying, and makes me wonder if the tazer is really ever appropriate. *shrug*

You're right next time they should just shoot him between the eyes,

[Charles Whitman II]

Don't worry, you will all get your chance to get a first hand opinion on this when you fail to "follow directions in an acceptable manner."

[Trunk-Monkey]

I'm prepared for the flames...

Tazers are an instrument of torture.

These, and all the other "non-lethal" weapons were introduced as an alternative to pulling their guns. They should only be deployed if the officer would have put a slug into the perp if he didn't have another choice. They use these things like toys for compliance.. as well as the mace.... how many strapping RCMP officers does it require to take down one guy?
Yours Truly,
The son of a 27 year member.
I have no problem with the "Force" just they way it applied in this day and age.

Im not sure what you think the police use an ECW for but I can assure you it is not used for "torture". These and other tools are used by police to assist them. To say or even imply they would use them as "torture" is incorrect. A wet towel and a bucket of water could be used to torture someone.
How may strapping RCMP officers did it take? Well in this case one...

[Oxl3y]

Don't worry, you will all get your chance to get a first hand opinion on this when you fail to "follow directions in an acceptable manner."

Enjoy living in fear. I bet you are the type of guy that will be purposely disrespectful and arrogant to cops then screams bloody murder when your actions get you tazzed. The perp that got tazzed in this instance was violent and dangerous. Thank god they tazzed him he should have gotten worse.

[Charles Whitman II]

I interact respectfully with those who interact respectfully with me.

A properly trained peace officer who isn't so fat that he/she needs a size 56 Sam Browne, or so small that he/she relies on pepper spray should be able to do his/her job with out firing metal prongs into someone and hooking them up to the juice.
Maybe I expect too much of peace officers. That is what they are. Peace officers.
I don't breach the peace so I have no dealings with them.

[Charles Whitman II]

and here is the crux of my point.....
I am not the type of person who is disrespectful nor arrogant to police. but even if I was.... these are actions that get you tazed?
There is something wrong here when these weapons are used for compliance. ya know for "adjusting someones attitude"

In this scenario, the easy way out was used. what? your mace jammed? couldn't find your baton? don't know who to apply a rear naked choke?
Nice outfit. The men who served before you shudder at your complete lack off policing ability.

[Charles Whitman II]

.... and after you see someone "compelled to compliance" right in front of you, guilty or not (btw, judges decide guilt, not police) then you can start talking about the subtle nuances between waterboarding and the human cattle prod.
It torture mate. trust me.

[Trunk-Monkey]

I interact respectfully with those who interact respectfully with me.

A properly trained peace officer who isn't so fat that he/she needs a size 56 Sam Browne, or so small that he/she relies on pepper spray should be able to do his/her job with out firing metal prongs into someone and hooking them up to the juice.
Maybe I expect too much of peace officers. That is what they are. Peace officers.
I don't breach the peace so I have no dealings with them.

Regardless of a person's size or amount of training a police officer has, if a subject WANTS to fight or DOES NOT WANT to be taken into custody by the police they make that choice not the police. This post as well as others above that you have made make it sound like its the police that are making the subject decide to fight or not comply with the police. This puzzles me because it is human nature to make decisions for ourselves, not to mention other factors such as a subject being high or intoxicated by drugs or alcohol. Sometimes people will not listen or comply with police no matter what the police officer does or says and if said subject intends to fight with the police the police are correct with using the tools they are issued to stop this threat.

[Ken7]

I interact respectfully with those who interact respectfully with me.

A properly trained peace officer who isn't so fat that he/she needs a size 56 Sam Browne, or so small that he/she relies on pepper spray should be able to do his/her job with out firing metal prongs into someone and hooking them up to the juice.
Maybe I expect too much of peace officers. That is what they are. Peace officers.
I don't breach the peace so I have no dealings with them.

Charles, I did 25 yrs policing.

I will tell you I saw the changes from beat em up, as cops never lose the battle to the new, which was utilizing new tools. Pepper spray being one of the best as very few incidents of excessive force or complaints. The rules to use pepper spray were active resistance.

Before the days of pepper spray, it was physical. At times the accused was injured or punched, as that was all part of the battle so to speak. Do you recall the large metal flashlights, they were misused and accused’s struck with them.

Just because an officer grabs an accused, doesn't make them go soft and give up their hands.

Several years before I joined guys brought an extra shirt to work. Why, one would be full of blood or torn half off in a bar fight before the night was over. When pepper spray came to be, it was great.

A good example 20 men squaring off in a bar fight stopped with a flock shot of pepper spray. Yes, pepper spray for all. No one was injured in the end, the bar was not destroyed and no complaints of excessive force. Complaint settled by two big officers, and no physical altercation.

What would you rather see, officer or accused with broken arms or cut up, or some tears??

[Charles Whitman II]

Mace isn't the issue. I know I brought it up, but it's the tazer....
I grant you point about the physicality of the job in previous years, but criminals aren't any more criminal now than they were back in the day.... There was PCP and crank back then too.
I stand by my point that a tazer is the worst possible solution to officer safety.
The applcations of such a device in the keeping of the peace should be so incredibly limited, and deployed WAY less frequent.
The are designed to be a non lethal alternative to the side arm. The gun.
I have no problem with an officer using the weapon in a situation where he would have other wise drawn his service revolver and fired.
This doesn't seem to be the case.

I can't think of too many other non lethal "tools" that have such a body count.
Even if they are used properly, (read : they don't stop the persons heart) It is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. Ugliest.

It has been proven that they are being used as a tool of compliance. To me this is unacceptable.
Like I say, if you were gonna shoot, then sure, zap 'em.

[nextimeround]

Mace isn't the issue. I know I brought it up, but it's the tazer....
I grant you point about the physicality of the job in previous years, but criminals aren't any more criminal now than they were back in the day.... There was PCP and crank back then too.
I stand by my point that a tazer is the worst possible solution to officer safety.
The applcations of such a device in the keeping of the peace should be so incredibly limited, and deployed WAY less frequent.
The are designed to be a non lethal alternative to the side arm. The gun.
I have no problem with an officer using the weapon in a situation where he would have other wise drawn his service revolver and fired.
This doesn't seem to be the case.

I can't think of too many other non lethal "tools" that have such a body count.
Even if they are used properly, (read : they don't stop the persons heart) It is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. Ugliest.

It has been proven that they are being used as a tool of compliance. To me this is unacceptable.
Like I say, if you were gonna shoot, then sure, zap 'em.

You do know that all of these officers who are issued a taser have had it used on them? So they know exactly what it feels like and it's not torturous or ugly. Also if you ask them most will tell you pepper spray is far more painful and long lasting. As for cops getting physical instead of using these tools, well that's just stupid. It's ridiculous to suggest that it's less dangerous to choke someone out or club them with a baton than to use these other tools. Not to mention the added and unnecessary risk the cop would put himself in.

You read to much Orwell or something to think that people are being controlled.