SSN Vet
Member
Clipped this from the local rag, Foster's Daily Democrat.
Sounds like tasers are all the rage in sub-lethal force.
Note the interesting stats about perps. getting shot after being tased didn't stop them.
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PORTSMOUTH, NH — Members of the Police Department will soon be carrying electro muscular disruption weapons, better known as "Tasers," which Chief Michael Magnant hopes will provide officers with an alternative to using lethal force in potentially deadly situations.
The Police Commission unanimously approved the purchase of Tasers following a PowerPoint presentation about the devices Wednesday afternoon.
"I feel that the time has come where we need to deploy the Taser out on the street," Magnant told the commission.
The Tasers fire a pair of probes up to 35 feet, transmitting energy pulses that override the central nervous system and cause immediate incapacitation. According to Hillsdale Police Lt. Todd Faulkner, who has personally been "tased" more than 26 times, the devices do not cause lasting injuries.
Donna Brazell, general manager of Triple Nickel Tactical Supply, said 64 law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire are currently equipped with Taser technology — more than any other state in New England.
Though Magnant was skeptical of Tasers when they first emerged, he said he has monitored the equipment's progress and become convinced of its effectiveness. Sgt. Steve DuBois has been researching the technology and reporting back to the chief.
Magnant said he is concerned about a large population of people in the city who suffer from mental illnesses and addiction issues. Such individuals have occasionally created dangerous situations, he said, forcing officers to consider firing their handguns.
Incidents involving the use of firearms can be devastating for both the community and police, Magnant said. His goal is to provide officers with "an option other than deadly force."
Referencing an incident last year during which State Police used a Taser on a mentally ill man who had threatened officers with a pair of nunchucks, Portsmouth Deputy Chief Len DiSesa called the measure a "much better alternative to a bullet."
Taser technology was first developed by NASA in 1974, Faulkner said. Numerous modifications have been made over the years, and Taser International created the X26 model in 2003. The device, which delivers 50,000 volts, is designed to cause muscle contractions and disorientation.
Though the probes are barbed and can be painful, Faulkner said Tasers do not rely on pain to subdue suspects. Testing has been conducted on more than 200,000 volunteers, he said, 99 percent of whom were instantly incapacitated. Some of the volunteers experienced pain, skin irritation, temporary blisters, redness and minor bleeding, he added, but none suffered permanent damage to nervous tissue.
According to the Taser International website, 9,833 Taser incidents were reported in the first quarter of 2006. Of those incidents, 622 resulted in minor injuries such as puncture wounds and abrasions, and 29 resulted in moderate injuries such as cuts from falls and shots to the genitals or testicle.
Six of the incidents resulted in severe injuries, including a probe to the eye, a fractured skull from a fall, a cardiac arrest, and a death involving drugs. Two people suffered gunshot wounds after the probes failed to entirely incapacitate them.
Faulkner said many law enforcement agencies have dramatically reduced officer-involved shootings and suspect injuries since becoming equipped with Tasers. State Police Sgt. Gary Wood said troopers deployed the weapons 24 times in 2005 and did not encounter any problems.
"It's been a very effective tool," Wood said.
The Phoenix Police Department, one of the first to provide patrol officers with Tasers, nearly cut in half the number of officer-involved shootings in the city between 2002 and 2003, the Taser International website states.
Asked by Commissioner Gerald Howe whether any Taser incidents have occurred in New Hampshire with negative results, Faulkner said there have been no official problems. Misinformation from the media and the Internet have led some defense attorneys to challenge the use of Tasers, he added.
Brazell, who has twice been shot with a Taser, said the company has its own medical board, which conducts studies to ensure the safety of the devices. She stressed Tasers are not intended to cause lasting injuries.
"It simply locks up your muscles," she said.
A product warning on the company's website states muscle contractions caused by Tasers "can result in strain-type injuries such as hernias, ruptures, or other injuries to soft tissue, organs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, and stress/compression fractures to bones, including vertebrae."
Magnant said the department would adopt strict training procedures before equipping officers with Tasers or similar devices. He said policies would be developed to establish when the use of such weapons is justifiable.
Still, he does not expect the transition to be without its challenges.
"The likelihood is that we are going to be sued," he said.
But Tasers should ultimately reduce liability issues by mitigating the reliance on firearms, he added. Faulkner noted X26 Tasers offer full accountability by keeping track of deployments with internal records that can be downloaded on computers.
Magnant estimated the cost of supplying the department with Tasers at about $10,000, plus an additional $5,000 for training. Now that the commission has approved the purchase, he expects to acquire Tasers or similar devices within the next 30 to 60 days.
All three commissioners voted in favor of the purchase, though Howe reserved the right to reopen the issue if further concerns should arise.
"This is probably one of the most serious public policy decisions I have faced on this commission," he said.
Sounds like tasers are all the rage in sub-lethal force.
Note the interesting stats about perps. getting shot after being tased didn't stop them.
----------------
PORTSMOUTH, NH — Members of the Police Department will soon be carrying electro muscular disruption weapons, better known as "Tasers," which Chief Michael Magnant hopes will provide officers with an alternative to using lethal force in potentially deadly situations.
The Police Commission unanimously approved the purchase of Tasers following a PowerPoint presentation about the devices Wednesday afternoon.
"I feel that the time has come where we need to deploy the Taser out on the street," Magnant told the commission.
The Tasers fire a pair of probes up to 35 feet, transmitting energy pulses that override the central nervous system and cause immediate incapacitation. According to Hillsdale Police Lt. Todd Faulkner, who has personally been "tased" more than 26 times, the devices do not cause lasting injuries.
Donna Brazell, general manager of Triple Nickel Tactical Supply, said 64 law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire are currently equipped with Taser technology — more than any other state in New England.
Though Magnant was skeptical of Tasers when they first emerged, he said he has monitored the equipment's progress and become convinced of its effectiveness. Sgt. Steve DuBois has been researching the technology and reporting back to the chief.
Magnant said he is concerned about a large population of people in the city who suffer from mental illnesses and addiction issues. Such individuals have occasionally created dangerous situations, he said, forcing officers to consider firing their handguns.
Incidents involving the use of firearms can be devastating for both the community and police, Magnant said. His goal is to provide officers with "an option other than deadly force."
Referencing an incident last year during which State Police used a Taser on a mentally ill man who had threatened officers with a pair of nunchucks, Portsmouth Deputy Chief Len DiSesa called the measure a "much better alternative to a bullet."
Taser technology was first developed by NASA in 1974, Faulkner said. Numerous modifications have been made over the years, and Taser International created the X26 model in 2003. The device, which delivers 50,000 volts, is designed to cause muscle contractions and disorientation.
Though the probes are barbed and can be painful, Faulkner said Tasers do not rely on pain to subdue suspects. Testing has been conducted on more than 200,000 volunteers, he said, 99 percent of whom were instantly incapacitated. Some of the volunteers experienced pain, skin irritation, temporary blisters, redness and minor bleeding, he added, but none suffered permanent damage to nervous tissue.
According to the Taser International website, 9,833 Taser incidents were reported in the first quarter of 2006. Of those incidents, 622 resulted in minor injuries such as puncture wounds and abrasions, and 29 resulted in moderate injuries such as cuts from falls and shots to the genitals or testicle.
Six of the incidents resulted in severe injuries, including a probe to the eye, a fractured skull from a fall, a cardiac arrest, and a death involving drugs. Two people suffered gunshot wounds after the probes failed to entirely incapacitate them.
Faulkner said many law enforcement agencies have dramatically reduced officer-involved shootings and suspect injuries since becoming equipped with Tasers. State Police Sgt. Gary Wood said troopers deployed the weapons 24 times in 2005 and did not encounter any problems.
"It's been a very effective tool," Wood said.
The Phoenix Police Department, one of the first to provide patrol officers with Tasers, nearly cut in half the number of officer-involved shootings in the city between 2002 and 2003, the Taser International website states.
Asked by Commissioner Gerald Howe whether any Taser incidents have occurred in New Hampshire with negative results, Faulkner said there have been no official problems. Misinformation from the media and the Internet have led some defense attorneys to challenge the use of Tasers, he added.
Brazell, who has twice been shot with a Taser, said the company has its own medical board, which conducts studies to ensure the safety of the devices. She stressed Tasers are not intended to cause lasting injuries.
"It simply locks up your muscles," she said.
A product warning on the company's website states muscle contractions caused by Tasers "can result in strain-type injuries such as hernias, ruptures, or other injuries to soft tissue, organs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, and stress/compression fractures to bones, including vertebrae."
Magnant said the department would adopt strict training procedures before equipping officers with Tasers or similar devices. He said policies would be developed to establish when the use of such weapons is justifiable.
Still, he does not expect the transition to be without its challenges.
"The likelihood is that we are going to be sued," he said.
But Tasers should ultimately reduce liability issues by mitigating the reliance on firearms, he added. Faulkner noted X26 Tasers offer full accountability by keeping track of deployments with internal records that can be downloaded on computers.
Magnant estimated the cost of supplying the department with Tasers at about $10,000, plus an additional $5,000 for training. Now that the commission has approved the purchase, he expects to acquire Tasers or similar devices within the next 30 to 60 days.
All three commissioners voted in favor of the purchase, though Howe reserved the right to reopen the issue if further concerns should arise.
"This is probably one of the most serious public policy decisions I have faced on this commission," he said.
