Tasers praised by police, now stung by critics

Hailed by law enforcement agencies as the safest and most effective means to subdue an unruly suspect, the Taser stun gun is fast becoming an industry standard for nonlethal force among the nation’s police departments. Today, more than 6,000 police departments use Tasers, and orders continue to flow into Taser International's offices in Scotsdale, Ariz.

Yet, while police departments from Orlando, Fla., to Portland, Ore., are investing in Tasers, the manufacturer has been dogged in recent months by criticism from human- and civil-rights groups about the stun gun's safety and the potential for misuse. In the wake of a spate of lawsuits alleging wrongful deaths caused by the weapon, critics are calling for a moratorium on the use of Tasers until an independent agency can establish if they pose a health risk.

The Taser stun gun, which is accurate from up to 25 feet, works by paralyzing people with a 50,000-volt shock delivered by two barbed darts whose current can penetrate clothing. Lasting five seconds, the shock gives an officer time to handcuff a suspect or otherwise control the situation.

Police officers say the Taser allows them to maintain a safe distance from an unruly suspect, reducing the risk of harm to both the officer and the suspect. Previously, officers’ options were largely limited to firearms or batons.

"It’ll save lives--those of the officers and the bad guys," said Sheriff Bernie Giusto of Multnomah County, Ore.

Giusto volunteered to be shocked by a Taser to prove its safety and efficacy. "It really hurt; it felt like five minutes," he said.

"I managed to stay on my feet, but it had a real debilitating effect on muscle control. You can rest assured I am not doing that again," Giusto said.

But many critics say a Taser shock can do more than immobilize; they allege it can cause fatalities. Amnesty International called in November for police nationwide to suspend using Tasers until an independent study is completed. According to a report by the group last year, Tasers were involved in nearly 80 deaths in the United States.

"They released the Taser without really knowing what effect they have on people," said Edward Jackson, a spokesman for Amnesty International. "The public has become a guinea pig."

Jackson also said police departments need to agree upon uniform reporting requirements for each Taser strike. "In most places, they can shock a guy repeatedly and it only appears on the police report as one use of the Taser."

Taser denies its product is dangerous. "There is no evidence that shows Tasers cause fatality in and of themselves," said Steve Tuttle, a spokesman for the stun gun maker. "They used to say that pepper spray was dangerous or life threatening and now those are used everywhere."

Despite the company's claims, police and local governments are reconsidering Tasers. This month alone, the Fort Wayne, Ind., police stopped using Tasers because of safety concerns and in Chicago, the police are considering a Taser ban amid public outrage following two controversial strikes with the stun gun in recent weeks.

And two police departments in Georgia shelved their Tasers in June after at least six suspects died in the state following Taser strikes. Georgia trails only California and Florida in the number of Taser-related deaths. Police departments in Seattle, Miami and Las Vegas are re-evaluating their Taser policies.

The Indianapolis City Council and the Kansas state Legislature are considering bans on some Taser use, as is the Georgia state Legislature, where state Rep. Tyrone Brooks said there is "growing support" for a complete Taser ban.

"These guns can bring a great liability on a municipality and could bring a mountain of lawsuits," Brooks said.

They may not yet form a mountain, but lawsuits are starting to pile up in cities around the country. In one highly publicized case, the family of James Borden, 47, successfully sued two Indiana counties for $500,000 in January over his death. Borden was shocked with a Taser at least three times while in police custody and died. Last September, the Seattle Police Department paid $25,000 to a 17-year-old who was zapped with a Taser during a traffic stop.

And in Miami, the family of a 6-year-old boy who was shocked with a Taser in school by police last October plans to sue the school board and the police for damages.

The wave of negative publicity and lawsuits may have affected Taser's bottom line. Shares of Taser stock fell sharply after sales in the fourth quarter failed to meet Wall Street’s expectations. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission is conducting an informal investigation into Taser's claims that the stun gun is "generally safe and effective."

Nonetheless, many law enforcement organizations are sticking with Tasers. The Houston police, for instance, equipped every officer--about 4,000--with a Taser last month.

"It’s not a panacea, but officers really do feel safer and more in charge with a Taser on their utility belt," said Richard Roberts, a spokesman for the International Union of Police Associations. "Before, the only course of action for an officer who wanted to keep his distance was a firearm, deadly force."