Residents Upset Over TASER Use

Police officers in Saginaw, Michigan are finding themselves under fire after they employed their TASER devices to restrain a number of young people at a well known outdoor festival in the area.

Over a dozen residents took a stand during a City Council meeting to express their feelings about what they believed was excessive force by the police department’s members.

The argument started from a film screening at the Old Saginaw City’s Lawn Chair Film Festival when officers were seen utilizing their stunning weapons to hold back teenagers who were causing a disruption during the event.

During the City Council meeting at City Hall members of the Saginaw chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in addition to city leaders, questioned officers and asked if they were practicing racial discrimination.

And yet, not all the residents said that the actions of the police were distasteful.

During its first six years of existence the annual festival has experienced no problems. The problems only started to rise during late last season and during this year. Some residents even said that many of the teenagers who were subdued by the TASER weapon didn’t attend the festival to participate, but rather to hang out.

Additionally, the chief of the Saginaw police department also defended his officers’ use of force, explaining that the police have a lawful right to control those individuals who decide to resist against the commands of an officer.

The chief went on to explain that to date there have been no incidents with the use of the self defense tool that breaches the policy of the device.

Many however, are just hoping that the controversy doesn’t stop the festival in years to come. The mayor of the town, plus council members, said they were not aware of the argument until the meeting of the City Council, but said that they will investigate into the claims made.

The mayor added that while the city won’t stand for any individual disturbing the event in the future, at the same time they don’t stand for police brutality to take place either.