Iowa State Troopers used a TASER to subdue the driver of a stolen car in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Sunday, November 29, 2009. The man was apprehended after a car chase that began near 16th and L Streets. Troopers began pursuit after noticing that the car did not have valid license plates.
While the man eventually did stop the car, he was still unwilling to go into police custody. He refused to get out of the car or even open the doors or windows. Sgt. Mike Wesack said that troopers took out the windows of the car and used a TASER to gain greater control of the situation.
The man was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure. No ill effects from the TASER have been reported.
This is a situation where the use of a TASER in a highly charged situation resolved a stalemate without the risks associated with more lethal weapons.
Studies have shown that the elevated heart rate associated with police car chases, both low and high speed, can impair judgment and lead to more fatalities and injuries in a post-chase confrontation. The use of a non-lethal weapon in such situations limits the scope of split second decisions made in a highly charged atmosphere and reduces the risk of injury to both the police and the suspects.
The TASER was used effectively in this situation to protect the public, the suspect, and the police by limiting the amount of force required to quickly resolve the problem
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It took a stun gun to subdue a 50 year old male resident of Monticello, New York, on November 25. In the early evening the man chased family members out of their apartment in the Shore Garden Apartments on Wood Avenue and began trashing the home.
He smashed dishes and pictures, destroyed furniture, and broke two flat screen televisions. Police were called in response to the domestic dispute and when they arrived the man was destroying furniture in a bedroom.
The man threw a dresser drawer at the approaching officers, who responded by using a stun gun to rein in the violent man. He was not completely subdued by the stun gun and continued to struggle with the police officers as he was being arrested.
In addition to three prior felony convictions, the man now faces felony charges of attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal mischief. He is also being charged with resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, both misdemeanors, and disorderly conduct, a violation.
He was sent without bail to the Sullivan County Jail in Monticello, New York.
A potentially hazardous situation was brought under control through the use of a stun gun. Considering how easily the situation could have escalated, it is good that the authorities were able to quickly subdue the man before family members or police officers were hurt.
Lethal weapons can sometimes escalate an already tense situation, especially when a suspect is confrontational. Non-lethal options give police officers tools to get a situation under control in a timely manner.
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A man who lives in San Carlos Park, Florida, shot a bear in his back yard in May to protect his family and property. Unfortunately, the bear was an endangered black bear and the man was charged with a third degree felony.
The man and his attorney asked for all charges to be dropped when they went to a Lee County courtroom on Monday for pre-trial motions. The charges, they stated, should be dropped because the man has “immunity” from prosecution.
The man’s attorney cited a 2005 Florida law called “Stand Your Ground” that protects citizens from being criminally prosecuted for the use of deadly force in self-defense.
Although the law was probably originally drafted to protect homeowners from being prosecuted for protecting their homes, families, and persons from break-ins and robberies, it is not a huge leap to extend the protection to the threat of aggressive and dangerous animals as well. After all, an endangered animal can kill or maim just as easily as a non-endangered animal and the man in question was under the same obligation to protect his family from harm in this situation as he would have been with a human attacker.
The prosecution questions the issue of self-defense because of statements made to the police that indicate that the bear was not acting aggressively.
The judge is considering the matter and has requested more information before he will make a ruling. The trial is slated to begin on December 14, if it is not dismissed prior to that date.
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Campus security at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina and a private security firm (Alpha Omega) used pepper spray to break up a large scale incident involving about 30 students during a fraternity event in November.
Campus fraternities gathered at Williams Hall Gymnasium for a “probate show” which showcases new fraternity members. Typically held twice during the semester, the event usually involves good natured interaction between fraternities as they cheer on their members or oppose those from other fraternities.
The exact cause of the fight is unknown but is thought to have involved an exchange of insults. The situation quickly escalated until at one point it is estimated that up to 30 students were involved in the altercation.
Security intervened in a timely manner, using pepper spray to subdue the fighting students. A University spokeswoman stated that “numerous students” were exposed to the pepper spray, including those not involved in the fight, but there were no injuries reported.
After the main brawl was under control, several other fights erupted outside of the gym and were similarly managed by campus police and the private security firm hired to work the event. Using pepper spray in this situation prevented significant damage to property and reduced the risk of personal injuries.
Elizabeth City State University officials expressed sorrow for the discomfort that was experienced by both the students fighting and the innocent bystanders but acknowledged that the use of pepper spray was necessary to keep the fighting from escalating beyond their ability to contain the situation. Considering that no serious physical injuries occurred at the event despite such a large brawl, mild personal discomfort seems a reasonable trade.
Pepper spray has been successfully used as part of crowd management under such trying circumstances before. When used by properly trained individuals, it provides an effective, non-violent response to escalating disorder.
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A 50 year old local of Arcadia, New York residing on Fairville Maple Ridge Road was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The suspect was also verbally abusive to police officers. Because of his erratic and abusive behavior, officers used a TASER to bring the suspect into compliance with police orders.
The man was the individual who called the police to the scene, in order to request that they investigate the theft of his car keys. The investigation showed, however, that his keys were not, in fact, stolen but being held by a friend in order to prevent the man from driving.
When it became apparent that the car keys would not be returned to the man he decided to walk home and started out down the middle of the road. The police, Wayne County Deputies, attempted to persuade him to get out of the road but were unsuccessful. The man became increasingly agitated and verbally abusive towards the deputies.
He tried to flee the scene and was instead subdued with a TASER in order to allow the officers to bring him into custody. He was eventually released on $500 bail from the Arcadia Town Court.
The use of the TASER in this instance kept a dangerous situation from exploding in a lethal way. Police were able to subdue an agitated and abusive individual without the use of threat or lethal force.
The source of the man’s impairment was not reported. Never the less erratic behavior associated with mental illness or drug and alcohol use creates an unsafe situation for police under any circumstances. When unsafe elements can be eliminated then all parties involved are less likely to sustain injuries.
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Use of a stun gun enabled Canadian police to capture a wild deer that had wandered onto a commuter train and into Toronto’s Union Station. The 200 pound doe wandered around the Financial District in downtown Toronto, delighting commuters who snapped pictures with their cell phones.
The two or three year old doe toured the area during rush hour and then settled in a garden near University Avenue and College Street to lie down for a few hours.
Eventually dozens of police officers, including the emergency task force, were involved in deciding how to deal with the animal. A vet was called in and with the help of a police officer the vet was able to get close enough to shoot a tranquilizer dart at the deer.
The tranquilizer dart startled the animal and as she darted onto the pavement she slipped and fell. Concerned that the wounded animal was still a danger due to her frightened state, a stun gun was used to finally bring down the animal.
After the police used the stun gun, the doe was immediately subdued and netted. If police officers had not had a stun gun to use in this situation the deer would have been at risk of being shot when the tranquilizer dart proved ineffective.
Frightened animals are especially dangerous in crowded areas such as downtown during rush hour traffic. Without the quick use of the stun gun, the deer could easily have darted into traffic or bowled over one of the many spectators who had left work to see this unusual sight.
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The police have several tools that they can use to aid in the arrest of criminal suspects. One of the most used is the TASER stun gun. Most of the time it only takes one zap in order to bring a bad guy down, but sometimes it takes a little more. Some people are so determined in their course of bad decisions that even the pain of an electric shock won't dissuade them.
Recently, a man started arguing very heatedly with a woman outside of a store. The police were called because they were so effectively disturbing the peace. Though it took the police a few minutes to arrive, the argument was as heated as ever. So, the officers tried to separate the two irate and argumentative debaters.
When the police grabbed the man and pulled him back, his response was a little unexpected. He broke away from the officer's grip and started to run for the entrance to the store. This prompted one of the officers to use his TASER in an attempt to stop the man. However, the man was wearing several layers of clothing and the darts didn't make an effective connection. The man pushed on toward the door while trying to discard a pistol from his waistband. Another officer did a drive stun, but again the layers of clothing helped the criminal in his endeavor.
Finally, an officer fired his TASER on the suspect again and the darts stuck in his skin. The suspect dropped to the ground, so the officers moved in to make the arrest. They then discovered that he had three trials pending, including one for the sale of narcotics.
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We all make mistakes and we inevitably have to pay for them. This is especially true when it comes to breaking the law. If you commit a crime, there is a huge chance that you will get caught. One man in Kentucky discovered this first hand when police used a TASER on him for fleeing. He fled because he had a warrant for his arrest.
There had been a robbery in a Lexington neighborhood and the police were questioning various people in the area. They started to question one man who was walking down the street. They asked if he had seen or heard anything, but in the middle of the series of questions he took off running.
Whenever this sort of thing happens, it is a pretty big sign to the police that the guy running is guilty of something. So, they started to chase after him. They chased him to someone's backyard and tried to get him to give himself up. He refused and was about to start running again when an officer pulled out his TASER and fired it. The suspect fell to the ground as the electricity coursed through his body.
The man was arrested for fleeing but when they ran his name, the found out the reason he fled. The suspect had a warrant for robbery, though it wasn't for the robbery that the officers had been investigating.
It is kind of funny in a way how one robbery led to an arrest for a different robbery. It just goes to show that justice will find a way and everyone will pay in the end for the wrongs that they have done.
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I am not sure why people think they can run from the police, especially when they flee on foot. The police nearly always catch them within minutes, and even if it takes a little longer they eventually catch them anyway. But recently a man in North Carolina thought that he might be able to escape them. Once he was on foot though, an officer was able to arrest him thanks to a stun gun.
The police had set up a drivers license check in a particular area of town. When a man driving a van came near the checkpoint, he knew he would get in trouble because his license had been suspended. So, he floored the gas and drove through the checkpoint. A deputy had to jump out of the way and was nearly hit.
Police were soon in hot pursuit. They followed the van into a neighborhood where the driver jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving. The van was still headed toward a house but a deputy was able to jump in it and stop it before it caused any damage to the property. While he did this, another deputy started to chase the suspect on foot. He eventually got close enough to use his TASER stun gun on the suspect and stop him.
The man was arrested and charged with careless and reckless driving, driving with an open container, and felony fleeing to allude in addition to three other charges. If he had thought things through before acting, he could have walked away with a couple misdemeanors and avoided the sting of the stun gun. Instead, he wound up with a felony and in pain.
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Some people have some serious problems and end up harming other people, or at least come close to harming them. Sometimes the police can't prevent these things from happening, but when they get involved they do everything in their power to help. They recently got involved in a situation that threatened the safety of three teenagers and had to use a stun gun on the one who endangered them.
For some reason, a 50 year old man got into an argument with three teenagers. When they wanted to leave, he armed himself with a brick and a hammer and stopped them. He made threats against them and refused to let them leave the house. Reports aren't clear as to who called the police, but thankfully someone did.
The police responded quickly and were soon outside of the house. A negotiator started to talk with the man. While he was distracted with the conversation with the negotiator, the police went around to the back of the house and managed to sneak the teenagers out of a large window. They were lucky to have not been hurt.
When the man realized that the teens had safely escaped, he became outraged. He left the house with his hammer and brick and started to charge at the police officers. Though he planned on attacking them, he was stopped by an officer who used a stun gun on him. This kept both the officers and the suspect safe.
The man was arrested and taken to the hospital for examination. No serious injury had been done.
We all have our problems and we all get into arguments with others at times. However, that is no excuse to endanger or threaten
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