A Step in the Right Direction

A major inquiry into the safety of Taser use by police has started, and this will likely have a large impact on not only public acceptance of Tasers, but possibly eventually legislation as well. This inquiry stems from the widely-publicized death of a Polish man at the Vancouver Airport in British Columbia in late 2007. Police say the man was combative, so they stunned him with a Taser, the man became unresponsive, and thirty minutes later was declared dead. No drugs or alcohol were found in his system.

It’s easy to draw quick conclusions from such a story; it seems obvious that, for lack of other evidence, the Taser caused this man’s death. But Tasers are used every day by police all over the world with no ill or lasting effects. Does one man’s death constitute labeling the weapon as deadly? Tasers have saved lives. Tasers have prevented assault and rape. When people in today’s society have a negative experience with something, particularly weapons involved in violent situations, they tend to skew the story by neglecting to detail all the positive aspects of such weapons. You’ll even notice this happens with freak accidents – someone’s child runs into a tree while riding a tricycle and sustains brain damage; all of a sudden the parents want warnings on trees and tricycles to be banned. It sounds absurd and that’s because it is.

In the coming weeks and months, hours of testimony from experts and law enforcement officials will be shared on the safety and effects of Tasers. Pay attention, keep an open mind, and talk to people. Public awareness will be key in maintaining our right to protect ourselves.