The Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recently volunteered to be Tasered, as well as the Alberta Solicitor General and his parliamentary assistant. The three men were watching a demonstration of the Taser during a visit to the Edmonton K Division’s emergency response team and William Elliot, the Commissioner, was invited to be Tased. The other two men followed the invitation by volunteering, and each was stunned for five seconds by the typical 50,000 volts.

The Solicitor General Fred Lindsay described the jolt as “very intense, very incapacitating pain,” but also mentioned that it was gone within seconds. Neither of the other two men commented on their experience.

It’s commendable that police officials are experiencing first-hand the effect of the very devices they use to subdue hostile subjects, as it will enhance their understanding and awareness of when a situation arises that is appropriate for Taser use. Misuse and overuse are two widely disputed problems of the Taser gun, and knowing what Taser targets experience can only help in curbing those issues.

Police forces are usually found on the supportive side of Taser use, and the fact that many officers have personally and physically felt the effects of a Taser stun goes a long way in support of their arguments for its safety. These same officers are the ones who are faced daily with life-threatening situations, and the knowledge that they have an alternative to deadly force that they would voluntarily inflict on themselves holds more weight than any argument supporting the elimination of Tasers.