In Bay County, Michigan, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched in the early morning hours on Friday, August 7, 2009 to a retail fraud complaint. When the deputies arrived they found a Texas man sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle holding his 5-month old niece. According to reports, the man was obviously distraught as he gave a false name, used the baby as a shield and even stated that he would, “…kill this baby, I will break its neck.” The deputies tried several failed attempts to remove the baby safely from the man. Finally, a TASER device was deployed, allowing the police officers to recover the unharmed infant and return her safely to her family.

Deputies later learned that this man was wanted in Texas for several crimes, including parole violation, and he was also wanted for numerous crimes in counties throughout Michigan. Who’s to say what would have happened if the TASER device wasn’t used, but we can at least state that everyone involved wasn’t hurt and the infant is now at home safe with her family and the bad guy is sitting in a jail cell facing felony charges.

After several of us at TASER International watched the video — which incidentally is recorded on a TASER® CAM™ — it is very clear that the TASER devices worked exactly as designed. This is most evident in the fact that the suspect stiffened and fell to the ground, clearly the signs of Neuro Muscular Incapacitation.

What also is apparent is that there may be a misunderstanding of how TASER systems works and what it is designed to do.

The TASER device deploys two probes attached by a conductive wire at that suspect. The probes must make contact with the subject or with his clothing to be effective. When the two probes make contact, they then cause a subject to be incapacitated for a five-second cycle. During this five-second cycle, there is a “window of opportunity” during which officers can apprehend, handcuff and/or control the subject. This can be done during the five-second TASER application because the electrical pulses of the TASER device will not transfer to the officers unless they touch the probes or between the probes. More importantly, it’s the only time that the suspect is actually incapacitated.

After the five-second cycle, the subject can and will recover instantly. It’s akin to a light switch being on or off. It’s a matter of physics as electricity will not linger in the body. Individuals of any size are not disabled by the effects of the TASER device after the device is shut off. There is no “stunning” effect or disabling after effect.

The TASER X26 or any TASER brand device does not gain compliance from a combative suspect. Compliance is gained either by securely cuffing and controlling a suspect during the five-second cycle or if the suspect decides to give up. We have always stated that suspects can recover instantly. This is a critical part of the basic TASER training.

In other words, the TASER did what it was supposed to do.

No law enforcement tool, including the TASER device is effective 100 percent of the time. There are no magic bullets. But in the case in Nashville, the TASER X26 did exactly what it’s supposed to do — it dropped the suspect and provided a window of opportunity for officers to gain compliance

Tom and Rick Smith demonstrate the TASER X3 at last week's TASER Conference

On Monday, July 27, Rick and Tom Smith, the co-founders of TASER International, unveiled the multi-shot X3, our first new handheld TASER ECD since 2003, during their keynote address at the beginning of the 2009 annual TASER Conference. It was one of the many TASER solutions for law enforcement, corrections and military customers that were highlighted that day.

The keynote address and the launch of the X3 was covered by numerous Arizona print and television media outlets. Incredibly, the story filed by the local Associated Press reporter was picked up by more than one thousand papers around the world. In addition, writers from a couple of trade magazines attended the keynote as well, so we are looking forward to those articles in the upcoming editions. Since the launch, I’m thankful to say that the media request and TV interviews haven’t slow down. The TASER X3 has been featured and demonstrated on FOX Business Network’s “Money for Breakfast” with Alexis Glick, has been written about on WIRED Magazine’s Danger Room, and was  shown in a video post on the Engadget website. Then today, Tom Smith gave a live demonstration of the X3 to Bill Hemmer on FOX News America’s Newsroom, wrapping up an exciting week of interest and coverage.  

The 2009 Annual TASER Conference was more than just a keynote address and product launch. It also included a four-day Master Instructors School providing advanced training for more than 300 Master Instructors from the United States and 29 countries around the world. Some of the countries that were represented were: the United Kingdom, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. These Master Instructors went through rigorous TASER training, Master Instructor certification and standalone product certifications. They had to take tests daily in order to pass the Master Instructor course, but this year they had a huge incentive beyond their certification; everyone who passed the program received a TASER X3. Can you believe it — all the participating instructors passed! Master Instructors School is more than just training. Many of the instructors will tell you that they enjoyed the networking opportunities that were held throughout the week’s training where they had a chance to share training ideas, learn new concepts and become more than just colleagues. Despite having to do homework and study comprehensive lesson plans, the lessons learned from sharing information among some of the world’s top trainers was invaluable.

Finally, as an added bonus — and just as important — thanks to a benefit performance by county music star Mark Wills and the generosity of the instructors, we were able to raise during the week more than $4100 in donations to the TASER Foundation for Fallen Officers. All in all, it was a wonderful week. The Training Department, Master Instructor Board and Senior Master Instructors at TASER International once again provided a best-in-class week of training and everyone at TASER International went above and beyond to launch another product that will protect lives.

The TASER X3

These past few days have been very exciting around TASER International. On Monday, July 27, we unveiled the new multi-shot TASER® X3™ electronic control device and today we just released our Q2 2009 earnings. Tom Smith, the Chairman of the Board and Founder, is in New York City today doing interviews with several key media outlets.

Check out some of the coverage we have gotten in the past few days:

• Article from Andrew Johnson of the Arizona Republic

• Taser International releases the X3 from the examiner.com

NOT a product of TASER International

Just so the record is clear, TASER International does NOT produce nor sell a Hello Kitty TASER C2. It must be someone’s idea of cute, though that is open for debate. Personally, I find Hello Kitty to be so 1990s. In the image below, you can see the five colors that the TASER C2 is actually available in.

The five REAL color options for the TASER C2

The suspect, a 36 year-old half-naked male had previously threatened a jogger and was in the midst of being questioned by a plainclothes detective when he abruptly drove off in his car, dragging the officer questioning him nearly 65 feet. The suspect then abandoned the vehicle as police chased him to the Waikato River’s edge. Three hours into the standoff, the commanding officer decided that a TASER device was the best tool to end the situation safely and effectively. Although Waikato officers do not carry TASER devices, the decision was made to fly in a TASER-trained officer from Auckland.

However, just the mere threat of the TASER induced the man to cooperate. This story illustrates just what a powerful and effective tool the TASER device can be for law enforcement — even when it’s not actually deployed. Had the officers not had a TASER at their disposal (New Zealand has only had TASER devices for the past couple of years), then officers may have had to resort to lethal force. Because the officers had access to the TASER device, the situation was resolved without any weapons being deployed, the suspect was taken into custody without injury, and the officers went home safely.

One of the most balanced reports I have seen thus far on the incident was on the NBC Today Show yesterday — including the after report discussion between Erin Burnett and Matt Lauer sharing their personal views on the situation. 

While I can understand the sensational draw and the spirited debate over this incident, I am left wondering why only a select few TASER uses are covered this intensely by the media or on the Internet. It seems as if the TASER device only gets this kind of coverage when it is used in what is perceived to be a negative or controversial situation.  

There are thousands of videos where officers used a TASER device according to their agencies’ policies and it directly led to the saving of an individual’s life. But we rarely see these instances covered on a national scale.

Electronic control devices are saving lives, reducing injuries and saving precious taxpayer dollars in workman’s compensation and litigation savings in the communities across the United States that are patrolled by the nearly 14,000 law enforcement agencies that carry TASER devices.

I personally believe a life saved deserves the same, if not more, coverage than a 72-year-old who became belligerent in refusing to sign a ticket or a naked guy at a music festival. This is certainly true with the story today from Amherst, N.Y., about the 6 month-old baby who was saved by an officer using a TASER device.

Generally, each Chiefs Course includes the following components, although the presenters vary depending on region and availability: an update on legal issues pertaining to the use of TASER devices, an update on the latest medical research on TASER technology, a session on media relations and data tracking, a discussion on the potential civil rights issues surrounding the deployment of TASER devices, and an update on suggested training requirement for TASER devices.  

As Vice President of Communications at TASER for 15 years, I know a thing or two about TASER and TASER devices, but each time I present at one of these courses, I am humbled by my co-presenters and honored to be speaking from the same podium.  

Why are the presenters so impressive?  Let’s take, as an example, the person who gave the medical research update today.  Dr. Jeffrey Ho, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. He is a licensed deputy sheriff in the state of Minnesota and currently serves with the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office.  He also is an independent, expert medical consultant to TASER, where he leads a cadre of research in studying human physiologic effects of electronic control devices (ECDs).  

And he’s a nice guy to boot.

My presentation today covered media relations and data tracking, including a look at media messaging, and more importantly, net field results for TASER device usage in agencies big and small around the United States.  The agency field results statistics always generate a lot of interest.  They provide the quantitative proof that TASER devices are reducing injuries and saving lives in every community where they are deployed.  I believe it’s so powerful to see a graphical representation of the benefits TASER devices provide to agencies — such as a reduction in officer and suspect injuries, a reduction in suspect shootings, and a reduction in lawsuits and worker’s comp claims — and today’s audience seemed to agree.

It’s been a busy day, getting up early, flying in and out of Minneapolis, but it’s completely worth it.  I make every effort to be present at these meetings because I believe that they are the lifeblood of sustaining good TASER programs in law enforcement agencies around the country.

More than 100 bikes line up for the TASER Foundation charity ride

Events like these are important to the TASER Foundation not only by raising money for the families of fallen officers, but also bring awareness to the community.  A few months ago, a close friend of mine from college, Sam Hicks, died in the line of duty while doing a drug raid in Indiana Township, PA, on November 19, 2008.  He was an FBI agent that loved not only his job, but protecting the streets and neighborhoods he served.  Ever since that incident when Sam was killed, the TASER Foundation has been an inspiration to me, to help memebers like the Hicks family during tragedy.

The TASER Foundation is a non-profit organization which provides financial and educational support to the families of law enforcement officers in the Unitd States and Canada who have lost their lives in the line of duty.  It was started in November 2004 by the Smith family and the TASER International staff.  To learn more about the TASER Foundation and upcoming events, visit the TASER Foundation.

But that’s not all we’ve got going on. In addition to AXON and EVIDENCE.com, we’ve been hard at work finding new ways to employ the NueroMuscular Incapacitation technology that TASER is best associated with. We’ve been in the process of preparing products like the TASER® Shockwave™ and TASER® XREP™ for market. Even though these products won’t be available until the third or fourth quarter of this year, the buzz is building. Here are few of the highlights:

Don’t Tape Me, Bro! — Aaron Rowe from Wired.com covered AXON and EVIDENCE.com on the day of the announcement. 

TASER enters the data (business) – Lindsey J. Bertomen from PoliceOne gives his perspective on AXON and EVIDENCE.com.

Engadget imagines the effect AXON could have on the television show COPS. 

Scott over at Spartan Cops put together a fantastic breakdown of AXON and EVIDENCE.com.

Mark Wilson from Gizmodo and commenters muse about the possibility of an AXON for consumers.

The New Scientist (a U.K.-based technology publication) caught wind of the XREP and wrote this post.