This is by far, one of our most frequently asked questions. The problem with this question is that a TASER CEW exposure is a completely unique experience– there is almost no other feeling like it. When I’m asked about my own exposure with the X2, I often tell people that it feels how it sounds. Imagine what it feels like to be snapped with a rubber band. Now, imagine that rubber band snapping you 19 times per second throughout your entire body. It is definitely uncomfortable, but by no means is it excruciating. The five-second exposure tends to feel MUCH longer than five seconds, but once it’s over, you feel like nothing ever happened! I was actually smiling and laughing after mine! I had about as much muscle soreness the next day as I would after a light workout; it was hardly noticeable. Other than that, any discomfort associated with a TASER CEW exposure only lasts for those five seconds. I can confidently say that I will not volunteer for another exposure any time soon, but if I had to, it’s just five seconds.
Over the past three weeks, TASER has welcomed 15 new summer interns! Some of them have even been brave enough to take the “ride for five” & take a voluntary exposure with our TASER X2. Here’s Kiley, our communications intern from the University of Arizona & her experience with our TASER CEW. Who’s that holding her up? Her father, Jim Halsted, Vice President of Law Enforcement Sales and her boss, Steve Tuttle, Vice President of Communications were there for her the whole way! Way to go!
Has law enforcement changed over time? Certainly. However, what’s truly remarkable is that it takes disruptive technology — a truly revolutionary breakthrough technology to do so. Take a look a what disruptive technologies have done for law enforcement, from firearms, to communications, to fingerprints in the timeline graphic below. Then take a gander at what TASER technology has done with its TASER ECDs — not just a law enforcement response to resistance tools but their built-in accountability features and camera accessories as well.
In the 1990s only special supervisors or a designated SWAT team member used TASER devices. When we rolled out our TASER ECDs in 1998 we told law enforcement we would eventually have them on the belts of ALL patrol officers. That mighty bold statement received countless collective chuckles, smiles, laughter, and even some snide remarks. For us, it continued to fuel our passion here at TASER International.
FAST-forward to 2012 and there are now over 16,000 law enforcement agencies out of 18,000 in the U.S. that now have TASER ECDs. They are used in over 107 countries.
Revolutionary? By all means. But remember, to be revolutionary there must be pain points, learning curves and paradigm shifts. It also means controversy will necessarily come up, otherwise it wouldn’t be revolutionary.
So here we are now with perhaps yet another breakthrough technology: Our AXON Flex on-officer video camera with seamless video upload to a secure cloud — EVIDENCE.com.
Already, former critics, which two year ago said, “No way our officers will wear these,” are now saying, “It’s coming and may be faster than you think. There is nothing you can do to stop it.” Others are saying, it’s the “wave of the future” while others are saying, they don’t want to be one of the last agencies without it.
Who knows, this might be yet another tipping point for another law enforcement technology revolution.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ–(Marketwire – October 18, 2012 07:30 ET) - TASER International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR) Antoine di Zazzo, the former distributor for TASER in France, will be going on trial in France in November 2012. The trial is unrelated to TASER International. Because Mr. di Zazzo was often referred to as “Mr. TASER” in France, it seems very likely that this now inaccurate nickname will create confusion when used in the press. In fact, TASER is a registered trademark for exclusive use by TASER International, Inc., registered in the U.S. and European Union and is one of several trademarks of TASER International.
Mr. di Zazzo is no longer affiliated with TASER International and is not authorized to act on behalf of TASER International or to use TASER’s trademarks. On September 13, 2010 TASER announced in a press release that it opened its subsidiary office called TASER International Europe SE to establish a formal presence and to support the expanding European market.
Specific to France, TASER International Europe SE provides direct support and works directly with our current and future customers in France, including direct local support in Paris. All inquiries, sales, customer support, training and service in France are handled direct by TASER Europe SE.
Links
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., October 1, 2012 — TASER International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR), announced Saturday at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Foundation’s (IACP Foundation) Sixth Annual Fundraising Gala that it donated $300,000 in funds from its TASER Foundation to an IACP Foundation/TASER Fallen Officer Fund.
TASER also announced that the IACP Foundation will assume day-to-day management of the former TASER Foundation funds, including disbursement of grants to impacted families. The alliance is prompted by the organizations’ shared mission of supporting the law enforcement community and IACP’s deep global experience in foundation management.
“We are proud to entrust this significant donation to the IACP Foundation,” said Rick Smith, CEO and founder of TASER International, Inc., “because its leaders set the bar for effective, compassionate investing on behalf of officers around the world. The research, training and education provided by the IACP Foundation is best-in-class, and we believe that integrating our foundations will greatly enhance TASER’s ability to improve lives and promote officer safety within our professional community, across the globe. We felt that the IACP Foundation’s mission to support injured and fallen officers and their families, protect the safety of officers, and support the goals and programs of the IACP was a near perfect match for our own mission to protect life,” concluded Smith.
“We are thrilled to accept this generous donation from TASER and to align our philanthropic efforts going forward,” said Bart R. Johnson, IACP executive director and co-chair of the IACP Foundation. “For almost a decade, the TASER Foundation has honored the service and sacrifice of state, local and federal law enforcement officers in the United States and Canada, and IACP will continue TASER’s legacy. The significant funding provided by TASER today will help the IACP Foundation serve thousands of our colleagues, enabling them to stay safe, recover, retrain and be remembered.
TASER International, Inc. established the TASER Foundation for Fallen Officers in November 2004, to honor the service and sacrifice of local and federal law enforcement officers in the United States and Canada lost in the line of duty by providing financial support to their families.
The initial endowment of $1 million came from TASER International, Inc. and the direct contributions of TASER International employees. To date, the TASER Foundation has awarded more than $3 million to more than 1000 families of fallen law enforcement officers in the United States and Canada.
LINKS
TASER on Twitter; TASER on Facebook; The IACP; The IACP Foundation
About International Association of Chiefs of Police Foundation
The Mission of the IACP Foundation is to support injured and fallen officers and their families, protect the safety of officers, and support the goals and programs of the IACP. The Foundation is committed to creating a culture of officer safety, health and wellness by supporting IACP efforts that prevent officer injury and honoring the sacrifice made by the men and women of law enforcement.