Police Discuss Stun Guns in Philadelphia

Last month security guards in a Louisiana hospital utilized a stun gun on an epileptic, suicidal nephew of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, triggering a seizure, in addition to a public outcry over the employment of the self defense devices in medical facilities.

While in Philadelphia sports fans are receiving a bad name, and city police are taking criticism, after a cop recently operated his stunning device on a teenager after he decided to leap onto the field during a Phillies game that took place in May.

As the utilization of stun guns becomes a hot debate, police officers from across the globe gathered in Philadelphia earlier this week that saw a two-day conference review the guidelines on how to correctly use the stunning devices.

The meeting, which was hosted by the Police Executive Research Forum, is a nonprofit, independent police think-tank based in Washington. The main questions that were asked at the meeting looked at ways in which an officer could effectively handle an individual in order to gain control of them, in addition to tackling a situation in the most peaceful manner in order reduce the possibility of injuries caused to that person and the police officers.

The group which already has 55 guidelines in existence from its development five years ago at the U.S. Department of Justice’s doing, will be undertaking a review of those guidelines and plans to have it completed by September.

Amnesty International has called for a suspension on stun guns, claiming that police employ them as devices of force instead of utilizing them as a non-lethal alternative to firearms. However, according to a study that was undertaken in September 2009, the Police Executive Research Forum has found that police departments who operate the stunning devices have lesser injuries to individuals in addition to officers compared to those who don’t.

Initially, before an officer is presented with a stun gun in Philadelphia they must first undertake complete crisis-intervention training, a five-day session on mental-health awareness, in addition to other issues. Only then can they carry one of these tools around with them while on the job.

While many officers have expressed their views over the stunning equipment they use as being great, it’s important that they apply the training they have received in the correct manner in order to avoid receiving outcries from the public about the abuse and misuse of these tools.