Vancouver Airport Taser death raises questions

What many people don't realize is that: a) people tend to be heavily armed these days and often officers don't know what they have on them until they're subdued b) the effect of drugs c) the effect of adrenaline and d) how officers really don't want to be beaten up if they can avoid it. Taser is an intermediate step.

When someone refuses to obey orders, and then is hard for even more than one officer to subdue, and indicates that he/she will keep on fighting, should officers take continued risks? If they hit back, with fists or batons, even if the suspect has hit and kicked, sometimes bitten them,then people yell "brutality." Should they just let them go if they fight? If they fight back, charges of brutality. If they taze, ditto.

One of my police friends, whose first K9 partner came from me, one night got called out with his dog. Seems that some guy was fighting being arrested. He'd battled 11 officers, had hurt a few, and had bitten off part of one officer's ear (gone forever). Yes, there are legitimate fears of AIDS, too, and other diseases--when suspects spit, bite, etc. they're adding another layer of danger. My friend and his dog rolled up, got out of the car, and my friend said "stop or I take the dog off the leash."

The guy stopped. But when they put him in the car, he kicked out the rear window, cursing and yelling and threatening. So my friend said "stop or the dog rides with you." The guy stopped.

Had the officers had Tasers then, maybe several of them wouldn't have gone to the hospital.

All too often, those who aren't there, don't know police procedure, don't know all the dangers involved (syringes in pockets, spitting, biting), or maybe just plain hate cops (until they need one) criticize if officers put someone on the ground, hit them, taze them, bring a dog in to scare them. If officers are arresting someone, especially someone they believe to be dangerous to themselves or others, they simply can't just back off and give up if someone fights or wn't obey. 

Yes, officers need to exercise care in the use of batons or tazers. Because they have to file reports on what level of force they have to do, and must be able to justify force, officers on the whole aren't indiscriminate with their tools. Are there "tough cops" or cops who make mistakes? Sure thing. Any profession, any job, has different levels of competency-- doctors can be dangerous, too. 

If you are an officer and there's a suspect who will not listen to your instructions, are you then obligated to let the suspect do bodily harm to you in order to pre-appease the public? No. 

Kaitlin-

If you click thru the link I posted above, you will see that this has been studied and proven that Tasers are safe.

 There are a variety of tools officers can use, and they all have pluses and minuses. Some people protest if tear gas or pepper spray is used. Or bean bags.

The U.S. has had its highest midyear levels of officer deaths in nearly three decades.

Some have referred to the new "hunter mentality" aimed at harming and killing cops.

Before the recent upsurge in attacks on police, in the U.S. one cop is killed approximately every 58 hours. 

There are two bottom lines here: 1) when people resist, they will be met with resistance; and 2) a police officer shouldn't have to risk being assaulted, injured, or killed to appease critics, especially those who've never been in the field.

Every single officer on our force, who is authorized to use a Taser, has been Tasered himself or herself. As to deaths; no way an officer can know someone's health background when conflict ensues, nor can they know what drugs may be onboard that will affect them.

It's really simple: if people would do what the officer tells them to do, the tasers wouldn't come out, nor the batons, nor the beanbags, nor anything else. 

Police speak in very clear sentences: put your hands on the wheel. Put your hands on your head. etc. etc. They don't want to hurt anyone; they don't want to be hurt. When people obey, arrests or traffic stops go smoothly. When they don't, or when they attack officers or flail around, they don't.  

You may feel safer if you own a taser, Tom.