Sound familiar?

[puggit]

There's a report in today's Sunday Times indicating that the new Taser weapons being handed out to the police more and more in the UK will be available through only one distributor.

The company is called Pro-Tect Systems and is half owned by an 'Inspector Peter Boatman'. He was a serving officer for Northants police training division when Home Office approval was given for the device - using him as an 'impartial advisor'. At the time the approval was given by the HO, Pro-Tect Systems held the exclusive UK rights to this equipment.

In the US there is an outcry of the use of this weapon, where more then 100 deaths have been attributed to it's use. Boatman has publically denied there is any danger with this weapon, even firing one at his 44 year old wife in a public stunt (she survived).

Too many similarities to the lti 20-20 story for my liking!

[MrsMiggins]

I've never understood why they describe these as "less lethal". WTF is that supposed to mean? Surely you are either dead or you're not, you can't be slightly dead.

[Dibble]

MrsMiggins said:

I've never understood why they describe these as "less lethal". WTF is that supposed to mean? Surely you are either dead or you're not, you can't be slightly dead.

I won't say that TASER* hasn't casued deaths, because I don't know for sure. I suspect it is less likely to cause death than a "conventional" firearm though.

Our firearms guys are issued with it, and some feedback from them seems to be that they gain compliance with it, because the subject realises they are possibly more likely to get TASERed than shot, so in one way, being threatened with a TASER is more effective in gaining compliance than being theratened with a "real" gun.

*... and for all you pub quiz types, "TASER" stands for "Thomas A Swift's Electronic Rifle", named by, and after, the inventor.

[Dibble]

MrsMiggins said:

I friend of mine who is a cop said the same thing when they got their new extending baton a few years ago. Apparently all the fight went out of people when they heard the "ftooommph" of the baton being flicked out.

Oh yes!

[KB_S1]

Watched a brief demonstration of the baton by the guy who trains US marshalls, very interesting, from a distance.
Had to take one off someone once, he thought it was a good idea to arrive at a party in my GF's house with it tucked into his jeans. It wasn't.

[Parrot of doom]

Tasers rock. I think their use should be mandatory in all situations:

www.wimp.com/testing/
www.wimp.com/womantasered/
www.wimp.com/alcoholic/

Anything that provides so much hilarity must not be banned!

[MrsMiggins]

My mate came back from her training session on the new baton with black and blue forearms. Guess those things take a bit of getting used to

I have to say that I have some reservations about Tasers. OK, they're less likely to kill you than being shot, but as Dibble pointed out, you are far more likely to be Tasered than shot in the first place, since they are 'less likely to be lethal'.

I suppose we just have to trust that the majority of cops are actually good guys and gals doing the job for the right reasons and doing their best. Is that enough nowadays?

>> Edited by MrsMiggins on Sunday 30th October 20:49

[rich 36]

That boatman chap was always wheeled out to display such things for TV news items, which featured
any new weapon in the clownstabularies aresenal,
he's been carving just such a niche for some time now.

Mind you, with Northants police record on utilisation of anything but their dicks, it'll end in tears, as the local rag often reports on their antics

[MrsMiggins]

See, the 2nd of those clips is exactly what I mean. OK, she was a mouthy bitch, but, if they didn't have TASERs, would they have shot her or actually just spend a couple more minutes getting her out of the car?

I'd hope that being a stroppy cow is not yet enough for a cop to shoot someone. (or I'm in big trouble )