Three New Studies Crucial to Understanding TASER Issues
Posted by Steve Tuttle
Over the past two weeks, we have seen the American Medical Association (AMA) adopt new, constructive polices regarding the use of TASER® devices with the release of an important abstract on excited delirium from the University of Miami, and the presentation of a groundbreaking medical study regarding risk in arrest procedures associated with suspect behavior, as well as police tools and tactics. Each, in their own way, help advance our understanding of the complexities and dangers of taking a suspect into custody, the tools police use in performing arrests and, more specifically, with regards to TASER devices and TASER use policy.
The American Medical Association at its annual meeting earlier this month adopted new public health policies, including a resolution on TASER electronic control devices (ECDs). All in all, the resolution and accompanying report is generally positive. The AMA report finds that TASER devices, when used appropriately, can save lives during interventions that would have otherwise involved the use of deadly force. On its website, the AMA quotes Board Member Joseph Annis, M.D. as saying, “While TASERs can help law enforcement officers, proper use must be ensured through specific guidelines, rigorous training and an accountability system. There should also be a standardized approach to the medical evaluation of subjects exposed to TASERs.” We couldn’t agree more, and we look forward to working with groups like the AMA in the future.
Earlier this week, the National Institute of Health (NIH) website PubMed.com listed a key abstract on research into excited delirium syndrome which is slated for publication in Forensic Science International. The abstract “Brain biomarkers for identifying excited delirium as a cause of sudden death” describes research headed by Dr. Deborah Mash of the Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami.
The research conducted by Dr. Mash and her colleagues explored whether or not there is any physiological evidence which would make it possible to detect or prove excited delirium syndrome during an autopsy. For those that may not be familiar with this topic, the authors define excited delirium syndrome as “a serious medical condition associated with acute onset of agitated violent behavior that often culminates in a sudden unexplained death.”
In the research, Dr. Mash and her colleagues conducted an after death review of ninety excited delirium deaths and presented “results on the association of a 2-protein biomarker signature.”
The conclusion — “When combined with descriptions of the decedents’ behavior prior to death, a 2-protein biomarker signature can serve as a reliable forensic tool for identifying the excited delirium syndrome at autopsy.”
Pretty heady stuff; but what does it mean? It means that Dr. Mash and her colleagues found there is physiological evidence that is reliable in identifying excited delirium syndrome, which may be linked to malfunctioning chemical receptors in the brain that could lead to dangerous and violent behaviors.
Finally, this week a groundbreaking medical study, Cataecholamines in Simulated Arrest Scenarios, was presented at the Australia College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) Winter Symposium 2009 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. The research led by Dr. Jeffrey D. Ho of the Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, looked at the human physiology involved in common subject behavior, as well as police tools and tactics in arrest-related scenarios.
From the data obtained in the study, the researchers concluded that TASER devices or ECDs were “one of the least activating of catecholamines while the simulated combat was one of the most activating.” Also, that simulated physical struggle lowered the blood pH the most of all the simulated police encounters — in fact causing subjects to become acidotic to a degree that posed significant health risks from just 45 seconds of heavy fighting-type exertion.
More heady stuff. So what does this mean?
Mark Kroll, PhD, FACC, Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota and Chairman of the TASER International Scientific and Medical Advisory Board offers his insight:
“Catecholamines are the bodies ‘hyper-hormones’ and include the well-known adrenaline. They are an indicator of the amount of stress felt by the body. This study is one of the first to look at the human physiology in common arrest-related situations with various police tools and tactics. The research is groundbreaking in that it clearly shows that the use of a TASER device does not significantly lead to the increase of catecholamines in the human body. However, struggling or running from police causes dramatic increases which can begin to cascade toward sudden death.”
A picture is emerging from this data — fighting with police or running from law enforcement officers can be more detrimental to your health than modern police tactics such as pepper spray and ECDs.
Certainly it has been a busy couple of weeks for the medical and scientific communities with regard to TASER devices and related issues. While to some, TASER brand devices remain controversial, there are now more than 280 scientific, medical or governmental studies on electronic control devices. This includes a growing body of more than 120 scientific and medical studies involving human subjects. Hopefully soon the vast evidence of the medical and scientific research will outweigh the conjectures and emotionally-based opinions. We then may be able to focus on all the good the law enforcement community and ECDs are doing in reducing injuries and saving lives.
# TASER® Blog » A Closer Look at the AMA Report on TASER Devices wrote on 8/18/2009 7:29 am:
[...] in June we told you about three new studies and reports that were crucial to understanding issues surrounding the use of TASER devices. One of those [...]
# BigS wrote on 8/9/2009 11:10 am:
I searched for “cops taser” in YouTube. I found tasering incidents of 1) 72 year old grandmother 2)Baptist Pastor; 3)Drowned Dad’s distraught son; 4)Boy w broken back; 5)Black male (dies); 6)peaceful protester; 7)man holding newborn; 8)two pregnant women; one at a baptism party; 9)child; 10)injured boy, 19x; 11)14 yo girl; 12) man asking question at political rally; 13)man refusing to sign speeding ticket. Since none of these incidents appear to involve a credible threat to the police officer, I find it difficult to believe that the only other alternative was use of lethal force. There is a problem here.
# Douglas wrote on 8/4/2009 8:37 pm:
It fascinates me to hear anyone complaining that a taser device was used to subdue someone instead of deadly or brutal force. I grew up in Scotland in a violent city where guns were practically unknown. As a police officer for ten years, having to face violent offenders in a country where the officers didn’t carry guns, a taser device would have been a great addition to our equipment. I cringe with horror at some of the videos showing police officers opening fire on an individual that clearly could have been brought down with brute strength or a taser. Yet I understand that in this country any moron can get a gun and the police officers never know what they are facing. I served with officers that were not fit to carry a radio, never mind a gun. Be grateful that technology is being developed to reduce the need to pull a gun and shoot an individual. Be thankful that the officers had an option and used their tasers.
# ndresident wrote on 7/13/2009 12:24 pm:
Well, Sylvia, since you seem to know so much about what happened when your son was ‘tased’ you should have stepped in and grabbed him by the ear and set him straight. In fact, had you grabbed him by the ear and set him straight a number of years ago, you might have prevented his being ‘tased’ at all.
# Peter Holran wrote on 7/9/2009 3:56 pm:
Ms Leidholdt — I can certainly understand your response, but the medical and scientific evidence does not support your conclusions. The continuely growing body of scientific, governmetnal and academic studies – more than 275 to date – shows that the electrical pulses of a TASER electronic control device are incapable of causing death in a human.
Moreover, the recent study from Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis shows that simply fighting with police or running from police has a more damaging and potentially detrimental effect on the human body than several less-lethal options include an electronic control device.
What do I take away from the Hennepin study – don’t resist arrest.
# sylvia leidholdt wrote on 7/9/2009 1:08 pm:
My 17 yr. old son was tased twice by Sno. Co. police as he was going out his window to avoid them. There were atleast 2 police cars and at least 2 police. I feel strongly that especially the second time was not warranted. He was blocked in by the police and had no place to run. Also; was on the ground and moved his arm alittle so he could breath; so they tased him again. I saw him yesterday and he is covered with cuts and road rash all over him. My feeling on the tasers are that they should only be used on certain cases that guns would normally be used. These police did “overkill” My son was born with a heart defect. This could have killed him!! The police just seem to love to use their power like Tasers” “Little boys that like to play cops and robbers” They don’t seem to understand that these can and do kill people with certain health conditions. When they feel that this is the only way out besides guns; then O.K. but they should be taught more about the consequences!!!!!
What my son did was wrong but; what he is going to serve for what he did is 15 days in juvinal detention. Is this worth someones life!!!!!!