David Finley, founder and CEO of World Net Enterprises, said he is selling approximately 150 C2 units to the public each month, compared to the 30 to 40 typically sold last year at this same time. He also mentioned that nearly as many women as men are buying TASER electronic control devices.

“Many customers are often desperate, saying ‘I need protection for my family,’” said Finley.

Frequent TASER Blog readers will recall we announced last week a limited-time C2 promotion for our readers. Through this special offer, you’ll receive two free cartridges and a practice target with your purchase of a C2 — approximately $50.00 of added value.

More people — like in North Carolina — are choosing a C2 for personal safety. The current promotion is a good reason for more people to consider the C2 as well.

C2 Colors

Hey TASER® Blog fans- we have a very special opportunity for you! It’s our way of saying thank-you for your continuing interest in our product, company, and the people behind it all.

Starting a blog has been a new and exciting project for TASER International, a foray into the world of social media- and it’s been the dedicated blog fans like you that have made it so rewarding. So, we would like to give you a little something extra for your support.

By using this link , you will receive an extra two-pack of cartridges and a free target with your purchase of a TASER C2.

Happy Shopping!

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

June 2, 2009

Hello,

My name is Matthew and I purchased your C2 product last year for personal protection. On May 11, 2009 I was attacked at work by a large man (6′0, around 270 lbs). I had previously had this man arrested for swinging at me, and for threatening my life. I have two small children at home, and care deeply for my family. This man returned again to my business on May 11, 2009. I am assuming that he was returning to make good on his threat to end my life, as he had been warned numerous times by the police and myself to stay away. His previous arrest was obviously no deterrent to his return. When this man charged at me from a distance of around 25 feet, I pointed my C2 at him and repeatedly warned him to stop. When it was obvious that he would not, I deployed the TASER. He was struck by one probe in the lower stomach and the other in his right hand. This device immediately dropped this large man like a rock, and the threat was over. He did not get back up until police arrived to handcuff him again and take him back to jail.

I am thankful that I did not have to use lethal force against him, and extremely impressed with the device. I cannot put a price on my safety and that of my family. I know that in years gone by my options for defense were limited to devices that required closer contact without having to utilize deadly force. I am a law-abiding, taxpaying, all American man. Thank you sincerely for the development of this device. My young daughters are thankful that you helped their Dad come home safe.

Thanks again,

Matthew S.

Matthew, we want to thank you for sharing your story with all of us at TASER International. You may have said it best, “I cannot put a price on my safety and that of my family.”

The following story was sent to us this week by a Sergeant at a California law enforcement agency. The wife of one of his colleagues used her TASER® C2™ to ward off a potential attacker. The woman had obviously thought about her own personal safety beforehand, which is why she was carrying a C2 and was prepared to act in her own defense.  

We often find, as in this case, that just taking out your C2 is enough to scare off an attacker. However, if you do choose to carry some form of weapon to defend yourself, you also need to be prepared to use it. Check out the story after the jump, as it reinforces the fact that we constantly need to maintain an awareness of our surroundings:

The wife of one of our officers was shopping at Wal-Mart in California about a week ago. As she was selecting a bag of dog food she noticed a man looking at dog food. She continued get some material for a sewing project and the same man was showing an interest in fabric. She then went to the ladies section and guess who was there? The same man! You get the picture. As she was checking out, the same guy was behind her buying a single item like gum or something.

As she exited the store, she removed her Pink C2 from her purse and put it in her pocket. She stopped just outside the main doors, off to the side a bit, not wanting to chance an encounter in the middle of the parking lot. Sure enough, the man comes out looking for her. It was clear to her that he was going to address her in some manner. She adamantly stated to him that he was making her uncomfortable and he needed to leave her alone.

The man responded that he does not speak English (“No habla ingles”). The woman then displayed her TASER C2, and said, “I have a Taser and you need to leave me alone!”

The man took off running in the opposite direction, got into a car and fled. 

This story illustrates the importance of being aware of your surroundings and the way in which a TASER C2 can alleviate a situation. No one knows for sure if or how this situation may have ended differently had the woman not been so aware of her surroundings and not been carrying a TASER C2. What we do know is that, because of her actions, the situation had a positive outcome and she is safe.  

Be smart, notice the people around you, and when necessary, be prepared to act decisively to defuse a perceived and potential threat before it becomes dangerous.

The TASER C2 in all five color options

As an active person, I jump at the chance to be outdoors, whether it’s taking a walk around the neighborhood after a long day at work, or going biking or hiking on the weekends. No matter what the activity, I always make sure that I have my TASER® C2™ with me in case someone or some animal tries to interfere with my stress-relieving activity. Because I have a carrying case, I find it hard to come up with an excuse not to bring my C2 with me. I’m the type of person that thinks the one time I don’t have my C2 on my side is probably the one time that an unleashed dog or even a coyote (yes, I live in the desert) will try to get too close for comfort.  

One of the many advantages of having a C2 as a personal safety device is the fact that I don’t have to be up close and personal to my attacker (animal or human). The distance between me and the assailant can be at a maximum range of 15 feet. From personal experience, I know that “my radar is up” when someone or something approaches within a seven foot range of me, which is why I feel comfortable with the safe distance my C2 provides. I know through my self-defense training experience and talking to law enforcement officers that when an attacker is within a five or six foot distance, they are close enough to reach me in one move.

TASER C2 leather carrying case

Enough about distance, another great aspect of having a C2 is the fact that it is small enough to put in my purse, so when I am out at a nice dinner, enjoying the outdoor air, or even taking a road trip to visit friends, it’s just like any other necessity that comes along for the adventure. Since it has a built-in laser, I don’t have to worry about my aim because I know the laser indicates where the top probe will land.  

Remember, just because summer is around the corner and you will be enjoying the nice weather, doesn’t mean you can forget about your personal safety. Whether it is a TASER C2 or some other form of self-protection, be careful and be safe. Enjoy the weather and have a great summer!

The right to select one’s own means of self-protection is something we affirm at TASER International. We believe it is important that people have choices when it comes to selecting a method with which to feel comfortable and safe —  regardless of whether or not an individual chooses to protect themselves with a TASER® C2™. For instance, I do not feel comfortable carrying a gun (although I would like to be trained in how to use one), but I do feel comfortable carrying my TASER C2. By the way, it’s pink.  

Since I work for TASER, I have had a lot of exposure to the device — I have deployed it, taken a full voluntary exposure including the probes (download the video of my TASER hit here), and even shocked myself once accidentally! I know exactly how it works, should I ever need to use it to protect myself. Since I know it’s effective, I feel comfortable choosing it as my means of self-protection. Sure, I have a big fiancé, but he’s not always with me and, even if he is, what would we do if someone assaults us? I don’t carry my TASER C2 around like a citizen-vigilante, hunting creepsters on street corners, but I do feel much safer walking to my car in the parking garage, or around the city at night. I grew up in a small town, I went to college in a small town, and now I live 3,000 miles away from my family. Having a TASER device makes me feel much safer since adjusting to post-college urban living.  

The right to select a means of self-protection is an issue that was hotly debated over the last two years in the Maryland State Legislature. Maryland legislators — rightfully concerned with the potential misuse of stun devices — began last year with legislation to prohibit an individual the right to own a TASER device or stun gun in the state. This year, following many months of persistent engagement and education on the subject, the Maryland Legislature passed what we believe is an effective regulatory bill addressing and affirming the citizen’s use of electronic control device technology.   

Elected officials have an obligation to promote public safety and regulate products that could potentially be dangerous. But as the Maryland Legislature rightfully concluded, the answer to effective electronic control device regulation is NOT to ban them. Rather, the Legislature chose to keep stun devices out of the hands of minors and those who have been convicted of a crime of violence. They also chose to promote some industry best practices.  

TASER International has refused to sell to persons under the age of eighteen and anyone who has been convicted of a felony. Since its inception, the company has also installed accountability systems in all its devices, such as owner registrations and the Anti-Felon Identification (AFID) tracking systems. Today, the TASER C2 even requires the owner to pass an identification verification check and a felony background check to activate the TASER C2. Thus, the device has built-in systems that deter those who would misuse the technology and protect those, like me, who wish to utilize it for personal safety.   

Working with industry experts, safety advocates and law enforcement, the Maryland Legislature passed responsible legislation — legislation which deters the misuse of the stun device, but allows for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their loved ones, as they choose, in a safe and effective manner.

Back in the beginning (1994), our very first sales were to consumers via direct orders, gun stores, catalogs and the Sharper Image. What you got back then was our first model, called the AIR TASER™ Model 34000. It looked something like this (again, back in 1994).

We’ve since sold more than 189,000 TASER brand devices to the general public in the United States and numerous countries around the world.   We are permitted to sell to consumers in 43 states (there are seven states and the District of Columbia that do not permit any type of stun devices for sale to the public).

One of the reasons that we are the market leader in consumer stun guns is because we are the only stun gun manufacturer that has added layer upon layer of accountability measures to deter misuse.  In a nutshell, it’s all about registration, verification and tracking. 

Since day one, our  sales to the public have successfully instituted a special safeguard that makes TASER technology a responsible personal safety tool — our Anti-Felon Identification (AFID) program.  The AFID program is based upon registration of TASER devices.  Every time a TASER cartridge is fired it disperses 20-30 serialized confetti that identifies the owner of the TASER device.  At tradeshows, and with the media, I often say, “It’s like leaving 20 to 30 business cards at the scene of a crime.”

Our newest consumer model, the TASER® C2™,  will not work after it is purchased out of the box until the device is activated with a unique code.  The code can only be obtained by passing two tests:  An identification verification test and a felony background check.  We’ve made this a fast, simple and thorough test that can be done online at a secure Web site or via a toll-free telephone number.

To learn more about our consumer TASER devices, click here.