Stop Taser Torture "Blogging For Justice Day” 12. 4. 09: Blogger Villager at Electronic Village speaks out against Taser Torture

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The Stop Taser Torture blog is the official blog that coordinates the annual December 4th event called, “Stop Taser Torture, blogging for Justice.”

Many police departments are using tasers to torture even nonviolent people who are often those who are incoherent, hallucinating, wheelchair bound, suicidal, unarmed, deaf, handcuffed, blind, pregnant, students, or just didnt move fast enough for an officers liking. Taser torture in America is continuously growing not only in volume, but in the level of how liberally, unwarrantedly, and excessively tasering is being used across the U.S and many other countries. In America, some police departments are even now torturing 10 year old children.

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A use of force continuum

A use of force continuum is a standard that provides law enforcement officials & security guards (such as police officers, probation officers, or corrections officers) with guidelines as to how much force may be used against a resisting subject in a given situation. In certain ways it is similar to the military rules of engagement. The purpose of these models is to clarify, both for officers and citizens, the complex subject of use of force by law officers. They are often central parts of law enforcement agencies' use of force policies. Although various criminal justice agencies have developed different models of the continuum, there is no universal standard model. This model is adapted from a United States government publication on use of force.[5] It lists multiple tactics in order from least to most severe, but is only a partial model, as it does not give corresponding degrees of subject resistance. * Verbal command * Handcuff suspect * Use wrist/arm lock * Use takedown * Block/punch/kick * Strike suspect * Wrestle suspect * Pepper spray * Use baton - Insert TASER HERE * Use firearm The publisher of the blog Tasered While Black says: Tasers should be placed in between a baton and the use of a firearm. He also says: 'too many times, tasers are used in the place of verbal command, handcuffs and takedowns" Here is what the Department of justice has to say about The Use-of-Force Continuum: Source: www.ojp.usdoj.gov

Most law enforcement agencies have policies that guide their use of force. These policies describe a escalating series of actions an officer may take to resolve a situation. This continuum generally has many levels, and officers are instructed to respond with a level of force appropriate to the situation at hand, acknowledging that the officer may move from one part of the continuum to another in a matter of seconds.

An example of a use-of-force continuum follows:

Officer Presence — No force is used. Considered the best way to resolve a situation.
- The mere presence of a law enforcement officer works to deter crime or diffuse a situation.
- Officers' attitudes are professional and nonthreatening.
Verbalization — Force is not-physical.
- Officers issue calm, nonthreatening commands, such as "Let me see your identification and registration."
- Officers may increase their volume and shorten commands in an attempt to gain compliance. Short commands might include "Stop," or "Don't move."
Empty-Hand Control — Officers use bodily force to gain control of a situation.
- Soft technique. Officers use grabs, holds and joint locks to restrain an individual.
- Hard technique. Officers use punches and kicks to restrain an individual.
Less-Lethal Methods — Officers use less-lethal technologies to gain control of a situation. (See Deciding When and How to Use Less-Lethal Devices. )
- Blunt impact. Officers may use a baton or projectile to immobilize a combative person.
- Chemical. Officers may use chemical sprays or projectiles embedded with chemicals to restrain an individual (e.g., pepper spray).
- Conducted Energy Devices (CEDs). Officers may use CEDs to immobilize an individual. CEDs discharge a high-voltage, low-amperage jolt of electricity at a distance.
Lethal Force — Officers use lethal weapons to gain control of a situation. Should only be used if a suspect poses a serious threat to the officer or another individual.
- Officers use deadly weapons such as firearms to stop an individual's actions.

Standards For police Taser Use supported By Publisher of Stop Taser Torture

http://stoptasertorture.blogspot.com

I just finished reading the Police Executive Research Forum's Taser policy guidelines. The forum is a research group for police chiefs and administrators funded by the U.S. Department of Justice. There are 52 standards that were released in 2005. It was an attempt to standardize police department Taser policy nationally. The guidelines are a good start, and should be adopted in State Legislatures across America. Hopeful Canada would do the same. Do I want tasered outlawed, yes. Yet in the interim, strict policy must be created and enforced.

Some of the police forum's standards provide stricter guidelines for Taser use and improve internal oversight, training and medical care for people shot with a Taser. These standards cover issues not adequately addressed in thousands of police department across the United States, Canada and other countries. Blogger, African American Political Pundit, who also publishes the blogs, Stop Taser Torture, Tasered While Black said, "every police department in the United States should compare it's Police Department's Taser policy with the forum's standards." He also said, there is a need for all police departments to establish a clear policy on providing medical treatment from medical professionals to people shot with Tasers." The bottom line is police agencies should be required to contact emergency responders whenever the police respond to a call where they believe a Taser might be used." The blogger said, "It's time for police departments to take corrective action and it's time for Congressional and state legislators, along with state police agencies to take the lead in developing strict requirements, such as those spelled out in the Police Executive Research Forum's Taser policy guidelines." Don't forget to join us on December 4th. “Stop Taser Torture, blogging for Justice.” as we raise awareness and trigger a global discussion. Contact us at: StopTaserTorture@gmail.com to register your blog. Please place a button on your blog.

http://stoptasertorture.blogspot.com

Welcome to The Stop Taser Torture Blog

Join Stop Taser Torture on 12.4.09

The Stop Taser Torture blog is the official blog that coordinates the annual December 4th event called, “Stop Taser Torture, blogging for Justice.”

Our goal is to unite the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day – Taser Torture in America, Canada and throughout the world.

Amnesty International says that between 2001 and August 2008, 334 Americans died after Taser shocks. The stun gun was deemed to have caused or contributed to at least 50 of those deaths, Amnesty says, citing medical examiners and coroners. Most suspects were unarmed, and many were subjected to repeated or prolonged shocks, according to Amnesty. The human rights group has called for governments to limit the use of stun guns or suspend their use. In November 2007, the UN Committee Against Torture released a statement saying “use of Taser X26 weapons, provoking extreme pain, constituted a form of torture, and… in certain cases, it could also cause death.”

Join us on December 4th. “Stop Taser Torture, blogging for Justice.” as we raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

Support the event. Place a widget or button on your blog.

Contact us at: StopTaserTorture@gmail.com to register your blog.

Don’t forget to support the petition to the United States Congress calling for public hearings on the systemic human rights violations occurring with Federal funding for the use of Tasers® against American citizens. The United Nation’s Committee against Torture has declared that Taser use can constitute a form of torture, while USA: Amnesty International has an on-going concern about the use of tasers on American citizens. More HERE

Should governments limit the use of Taser guns or suspend their use? Let you opinion be known at the Dailykos.

Torture in america

What are Tasers?

Tasers are hand-held weapons that deliver a jolt of electricity through a pair of wires propelled by compressed air from up to 10.6 metres away. The jolt stuns the target by causing an uncontrollable contraction of the muscle tissue. The target is immobilized and falls to the ground — regardless of pain tolerance or mental focus. Taser stands for “Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle.” It is named after a series of children’s science-fiction novels written in the early 20th century featuring the young genius inventor Tom Swift.

Who makes them?

Arizona-based Taser International makes virtually all of the stun guns being used today. The technical term for a stun gun is a “conducted energy device” (CED) or “conducted energy weapon” (CEW). Taser International says more than 13,400 law enforcement, correctional and military organizations in 44 countries use its devices. Of these agencies, more than 5,000 of them equip all of their patrol officers with Tasers, the company asserts. Since early 1998, more than 375,000 Taser brand immobilizers have been sold to law enforcement agencies. There are two main types of stun guns made by Taser used by law enforcement agencies:

M26: A high-powered weapon marketed to police forces to stop “highly combative individuals.” A burst of compressed nitrogen launches two small probes attached to the device by conductive wires. From as far as 10.6 metres, the device transmits electrical pulses through the wires to immobilize a person. Also has a laser sight for aiming.
X26: A smaller model introduced in 2003. Launches two small probes as far as 10.6 metres.

The company also makes a stun guns for personal use:

C2: Introduced in 2007, smaller than its predecessors and comes in nine colours. Launches two probes as far as 4.5 metres.
X26C: Modelled after the X26 but formatted for personal use. Has a range of 4.5 metres.
Advanced Taser M18/M18L: Modelled after the M26 with a range of 4.5 metres.

In the United States, Tasers are not considered firearms and are legal for civilian use in most states. Some cities, counties and states do restrict — or ban — their use by people who are not police officers. The company will not ship its product outside the United States unless the person placing the order holds a valid import/export permit. In Canada, however, Tasers are a prohibited weapon. Only one company can import them into Canada under a special permit, and they can only sell the devices to law enforcement agencies, said RCMP Cpl. Greg Gillis, who trains police officers in how to use Tasers. Each Taser sale is registered and tracked, much like a handgun, he said. In 2007, 85 per cent of the company’s $100.7 million US in revenue came from sales within the United States.

What are the benefits of stun guns?

Tasers are supposed to allow police officers to subdue violent individuals without killing them. A police officer can “take down” a threatening suspect without worrying that a stray bullet might kill or injure an innocent bystander. “There’s no question that there are certainly lots of documented examples in Canada where had we not had the Taser and had to respond with more traditional options, that it could have resulted in a higher level of force,” said Cpl. Gillis. “For example, the firearm: … with a firearm, there are only two outcomes — … it’s going to be a permanent injury or a loss of life.” “We don’t speak often enough about the number of lives that have been saved, the number of people that are up and walking around today that might not have been had it not been for a Taser,” says Steve Palmer, executive director of the Canadian Police Research Centre. The CPRC is a partnership among the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the RCMP and the National Research Council of Canada.

What are the drawbacks?

The company says there are none and that Taser devices are among the safest use-of-force options available. Critics argue that there hasn’t been enough research into the safety of stun guns.

Taser Use In Europe

ACCORDING TO THE BBC, Guernsey Police may have to abandon the use of Taser stun guns because the UK government will not allow the importation of more ammunition.

The Home Department, which acquired the equipment more than three years ago, has been told it will not be allowed to replenish or replace its stock.

Guernsey Police said it was a "very difficult predicament".

But the UK has ruled stun guns cannot be exported outside the European Union as they could be used for torture.

As Crown dependencies, the Channel Islands are not part of the UK and are outside of the European Union.

"Long term, the prognosis is not good MORE HERE