Sylvilagus Aquaticus
Member
Another one in the name of 'safety'. Did anyone else see that footage of the bull getting Tasered and jumping right back up? Thanks, but I'd take my chances with a cane or a baseball bat.
Regards,
Rabbit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36048-2003Jun9.html
washingtonpost.com
U.S. Says Stun Guns Viable for Airline Security
Reuters
Monday, June 9, 2003; 5:50 PM
By John Crawley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration has concluded that stun guns, which inflict a disabling electric shock, can be used for security by crew members on commercial planes, a homeland security official said on Monday.
After months of weighing the safety and effectiveness of the guns, the Transportation Security Administration said in a report to Congress that they were an acceptable non-lethal option to deal with hijackers.
Details of the report are classified but a spokesman for the TSA, Robert Johnson, provided an overview of its findings.
"We think they are viable but only viable if done right," he said.
Johnson stressed the agency, which already permits commercial pilots to carry firearms after completing a federal training course, had not yet approved any carriers to arm their crews with stun guns.
Two airlines, United Airlines and regional carrier Mesa Air Group, have sought government permission to do so and Johnson said their applications were being reviewed.
"We're going to be picky about how they are deployed and how people have access to them are trained," Johnson said. "We have to make certain that we do this right."
The administration has taken a number of steps to enhance airline security since the 2001 hijack attacks on New York and Washington, blamed on al Qaeda, which killed about 3,000 people.
AIRLINES WILL TRAIN
Unlike the firearms program for pilots coordinated by the government, stun gun training would be the responsibility of the airlines once security authorities sign off on individual plans.
Johnson said it was possible that pilots could have both firearms and stun guns as part of the layered security strategy brought in by the government since the attacks.
A United spokesman said the company would continue to work with the security agency on its application. The No. 2 carrier has trained its pilots to use stun guns made by Taser International of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Johnson said the report analyzed the Taser technology but did not endorse any brand.
Pilots have long favored lethal force over stun guns to counter any threat during flight. Some are skeptical that stun guns are practical or effective in the cramped confines of most flight decks even though they are used widely in law enforcement.
"Stun guns could have a place in the security package. We're not opposed to them but we still think that providing pilots with firearms is far and away the best method to defend the cockpit," said John Mazor, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association.
Capt. Stephen Luckey, chairman of the ALPA security committee, said stun guns could be an effective tool for flight attendants, off-duty pilots or other airline personnel riding in the passenger cabin to quell a serious disturbance before it could escalate.
Dawn Deeks, a spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants, said more options for cabin crews were needed urgently.
"To put defensive capabilities all in the cockpit and not train the crew in the cabin to protect their lives and the lives of the passengers in the event of an attack is unthinkable," Deeks said.
© 2003 Reuters
Regards,
Rabbit.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36048-2003Jun9.html
washingtonpost.com
U.S. Says Stun Guns Viable for Airline Security
Reuters
Monday, June 9, 2003; 5:50 PM
By John Crawley
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration has concluded that stun guns, which inflict a disabling electric shock, can be used for security by crew members on commercial planes, a homeland security official said on Monday.
After months of weighing the safety and effectiveness of the guns, the Transportation Security Administration said in a report to Congress that they were an acceptable non-lethal option to deal with hijackers.
Details of the report are classified but a spokesman for the TSA, Robert Johnson, provided an overview of its findings.
"We think they are viable but only viable if done right," he said.
Johnson stressed the agency, which already permits commercial pilots to carry firearms after completing a federal training course, had not yet approved any carriers to arm their crews with stun guns.
Two airlines, United Airlines and regional carrier Mesa Air Group, have sought government permission to do so and Johnson said their applications were being reviewed.
"We're going to be picky about how they are deployed and how people have access to them are trained," Johnson said. "We have to make certain that we do this right."
The administration has taken a number of steps to enhance airline security since the 2001 hijack attacks on New York and Washington, blamed on al Qaeda, which killed about 3,000 people.
AIRLINES WILL TRAIN
Unlike the firearms program for pilots coordinated by the government, stun gun training would be the responsibility of the airlines once security authorities sign off on individual plans.
Johnson said it was possible that pilots could have both firearms and stun guns as part of the layered security strategy brought in by the government since the attacks.
A United spokesman said the company would continue to work with the security agency on its application. The No. 2 carrier has trained its pilots to use stun guns made by Taser International of Scottsdale, Arizona.
Johnson said the report analyzed the Taser technology but did not endorse any brand.
Pilots have long favored lethal force over stun guns to counter any threat during flight. Some are skeptical that stun guns are practical or effective in the cramped confines of most flight decks even though they are used widely in law enforcement.
"Stun guns could have a place in the security package. We're not opposed to them but we still think that providing pilots with firearms is far and away the best method to defend the cockpit," said John Mazor, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association.
Capt. Stephen Luckey, chairman of the ALPA security committee, said stun guns could be an effective tool for flight attendants, off-duty pilots or other airline personnel riding in the passenger cabin to quell a serious disturbance before it could escalate.
Dawn Deeks, a spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants, said more options for cabin crews were needed urgently.
"To put defensive capabilities all in the cockpit and not train the crew in the cabin to protect their lives and the lives of the passengers in the event of an attack is unthinkable," Deeks said.
© 2003 Reuters
