Taser Use by Houston Officers Usually Righteous

In November 2006, Houston Mayor Bill White requested an independent study. The study, overseen by Controller Annise Parker’s office, has been critical of the Houston Police Department’s (HPD’s) system for tracking Taser use. The study, slated to be open for public review in early September, says HPD’s methods don’t measure up. This despite HPD’s policy of reviewing each deployment. The study maintains the review procedure cannot be proven because there is no paper trail. However, there is a computer chip which stores deployment data in many Taser models. There are even recording devices in some models.

HPD administrators and officers like having Tasers available because it has significantly contributed to reducing injuries on both ends of the weapon – officers and suspects.

According to Assistant Chief Brian Lumpkin, “To have (69) complaints and only a few sustained – that is reflective of successful use.” Lumpkin, who oversees internal affairs for HPD continued, “The numbers show that we have used Tasers responsibly.”

HPD records show that between December 2004 and May 2008 officers used the non lethal weapons 1,724 times. Thus far, 69 complaints have been filed, triggering the expected internal affairs investigations, but only five officers have been reprimanded or disciplined. As of this date, five investigations are still open.

Many of the people shocked with Tasers wind up facing no criminal charges. The local paper, the Houston Chronicle, did an analysis of incidents in which officers used Tasers. Their study showed that of the first 900 incidents, over a third of the “victims” did not face any charges. Judges dismissed or prosecutors dropped charges after they were filed in about another 50 cases.