The Use of Force Journal
Volume 5, Number 1
March, 2005

Howard Rahtz, Editor
Ed Nowicki, Executive Director

From the Editor
The TASER Debate
The growing public debate over tasers
presents both some problems and some
opportunities for those of us in the police
training business. As police departments
around the country deploy the taser, the
ACLU and Amnesty International are
pushing for a national moratorium on use of
the tasers pending an independent inquiry
into the weapon’s health effects. The
media have begun tracking every police
intervention death where a taser was used
and over the past few months, the language
and tenor utilized in many of the news
reports on these incidents has changed.

Early reports were typically characterized
by a reporting of the taser use followed by
death of the suspect and a determination of
the cause of death pending the autopsy.
Recent reports have abandoned the
pretense of waiting for autopsy results in
favor of the assumption that the death was
the direct result of the taser use. Each

“taser” death is now national news that
fuels the anti-taser outcry.
By any standard, this campaign is
succeeding. Several jurisdictions have
shelved plans to deploy tasers. The
International Association of Chiefs of Police
(IACP) has announced an inquiry into taser
deaths. At least two states are considering
legislation that would ban taser deployment
by police departments. And in the last few
weeks, Lucas County (Toledo, OH) has
taken tasers out of service and the Chicago
Police Department temporarily halted plans
for widespread deployment of the taser.
Like most public debate on police use of
force issues, anti-police bigotry, racial
tension, and a huge dose of misinformation
all contribute to the underlying context. If
we as trainers are to lead a reasonable
debate on taser use, understanding the
dynamics driving the debate is essential.
Here are just a few of the issues that need
to be addressed.
Safety of the Taser – There have been
numerous studies which provide
information on the relative risks of taser
use. In addition, many police departments
have accumulated significant data on taser

use. In Cincinnati, we are approaching
2000 human trials – about 900 officers have
been tased as part of training and several
hundred suspects have been tased with the
most serious injury to date a broken bone
from a fall. Critics point to the fact that
some of the research was either funded or
directly done by Taser International
implying any conclusions are automatically
suspect. Perhaps the best summary of the
state of research knowledge comes from an
independent study done by the Air Force
Research Laboratory.
Overall, the results support the
conclusion that the M26 and X26
TASERs are generally effective for
their intended use. However, they
may cause several unintended
effects, albeit with estimated low
probabilities of occurrence.
This statement, eloquent in its simplicity, is
unlikely to pacify critics who cling to the
fantasy of risk free force. Any force
alternative, short of the Star Trek Phaser
(set to stun), will be viewed as “unsafe.”
Can some of these concerns on taser risk
be addressed? Some departments are
putting AEDs in patrol cars or requiring
immediate medical response on taser
incidents as a way to allay community
concerns on taser safety. Community
education on the taser and its effects would
seem to be sorely lacking.
Putting the Risks in Context – The
unfortunate fact is that some of the people
who involve themselves in force
confrontations with the police have taken
illegal drugs, may have underlying health
conditions, and the stress of the physical
struggle may contribute to what are typically
described as sudden in-custody deaths. In
November of 2003, the Cincinnati Police
confronted a 350 pound individual, high on
PCP and cocaine, with an underlying heart
condition. After violently assaulting an
officer, the suspect was repeatedly struck
with PR-24s, sprayed with chemical irritant,
and finally physically subdued by multiple
officers. He died at the scene and the

subsequent cause of death was described
as “cardiac dysrhythmia due to physiologic
stress reaction with hypoxia due to a violent
struggle with restraint.” This type of “incustody” deaths is an unfortunate part of
the policing business. When describing the
risks of tasers, the context question is
“Compared to what?” The correct question
is not “Is the taser risk free?” But “How do
the risks to suspects and officers compare
to other force alternatives?” The findings
from departments across the country who
have deployed tasers are consistent –
dramatic reductions in injuries to both
officers and suspects.

Potential for Abuse – A concern often
expressed is that the taser may become an
instrument for excessive use of force.
These concerns are typically raised by
people who believe police excessive use of
force and brutality are widespread and the
taser is simply a good tool to abuse people.
This bigotry against the police is rarely
challenged. Are there bad cops out
there who will utilize the taser in an
inappropriate fashion? I think we’d all
agree there are a small number of officers
who are prone to using excessive use of
force. However, the fact is that the
technical safeguards built into the taser
make it less likely to be an instrument of
excessive force. The answers to controlling
excessive use of force includes good
_________________________________
The assumption that police are prone to
brutality and will abuse any tool
provided should never go unchallenged.
__________________________________
recruiting/selection, training, supervision,
and administrative policy on force reporting
and investigation. The assumption that
police are prone to brutality and will abuse
any tool provided should never go
unchallenged.
The Racial Divide – The gulf between
minority citizens, especially AfricanAmericans, and the police remains

substantial. The taser debate is occurring
in the context of this uneasy relationship.
Police leaders who’ve established strong
relationships with minority communities are
less likely to have taser incidents
interpreted as examples of biased policing.
Public education on tasers, particularly in
minority communities, should be an
essential element of the deployment
process.
Police Trainers are in a unique position to
play an important role in the ongoing taser
debate. A reasoned and professional
approach to the debate will be a welcome
change from the hysteria and
misinformation that characterizes much of
the current public discussion.