Posted by Steve Tuttle
Back 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 reports was by the American Medical Association (AMA) and was announced at its annual meeting that month.
As we said then, the report is generally positive. It recognizes that TASER devices, when used appropriately, can save lives during interventions that would otherwise involve deadly force.
However, since we first told you about the report, some others have looked at it and drawn additional interpretations and conclusions.
Greg Meyer — a retired Captain from the Los Angeles Police Academy — has done some of the heavy lifting over at PoliceOne.com in taking a closer look at the AMA report. Capt. Meyers offers an excellent point-by-point breakdown and analysis.
Take a look at the column by Capt. Meyers. I think you will find it interesting.
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. Read more…
Posted by Steve Tuttle
We have with us today a very special guest blogger. Andrew Hinz, Director of Technical Programs for TASER International and liasion to the medical community, is here to walk us through a few of the most recent studies conducted involving TASER devices.
Today, TASER brand electronic control devices (ECDs) are used by more than 14,000 law enforcement agencies in more than 45 countries worldwide. During the past decade, more than 1.5 million people have been hit with a TASER brand ECD, including an estimated 760,000 people in actual arrest proceedings by law enforcement. While a completely accurate number is hard to come by, it further is estimated that more than 50,000 people have avoided injury or had their lives saved because a TASER brand ECD was available and used by law enforcement.
Despite the broad acceptance and amazing success of the TASER ECDs in reducing injuries and violence, there are still a number of critics and skeptics who are willing to ignore the data, ignore the scientific studies and ignore anecdotal evidence while calling for a moratorium on the use of TASER devices by law enforcement. Most commonly, these naysayers inaccurately site a “lack of independent” scientific and medical studies into the safety of TASER technology and TASER ECDs. Read more…
Posted by Steve Tuttle
This morning I headed to Minnesota to participate in our TASER® Use of Force, Risk Management and Legal Strategies Seminar. Normally, TASER International participates in approximately six of these educational courses around the country annually. The “Chiefs Course,” as they are commonly known, are designed to give law enforcement command staff, municipal risk managers, and Police Information Officers the opportunity to learn about legal issues, risk management challenges, and media relations strategies pertaining to the implementation of a TASER device program.
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.
Read more…