Sigh...

[Papa9571]

I think that Cops should show restraint especially on the use of Tasers.

Tasers can kill and thats  a fact.


We had one person that the Sheriff department used the taser on him 5 times, after he was handcuffed. He was placed in cell and fould dead later. Cause of death? Heart failure due to overuse of the taser.

[Scottler]

It's sad, really, Hagar.

[Hagar]

[quote]Everyone thinks cops are such monsters.

[Scottler]

Sure, there are cops that are idiots.

[Hagar]

[quote]Sure, there are cops that are idiots.

[Scottler]

Actually, all I know is what was said in that article (which I didn't even read THAT thoroughly lol) and the news report last night on TV which said basically the same thing.

I'm forming my opinion by logically thinking about the odds.  Of course, it's possible that the kid was being completely respectful and the officer zapped him for no reason.  

Sure, there are 15 year olds who ARE completely respectful and obey authority.  I understand that.  But how many times have we seen members here say that just because of their age, people assume they're up to no good.  Why is that?  It's surely not a result of the majority of kids being respectful and obedient.

All stereotypes are based in an element of truth.  People don't stereotype Chinese people as having four legs and being covered in purple fur, because they're not.

[Hagar]

There are a lot of respectful kids around, you only have to look at the ones we have on this forum. However, even in my day it was natural for kids to be disrepectful to any sort of authority & this is even more common now. It doesn't mean they're bad kids, that's just how they are. If you take the trouble to get to know them they're no different to how I was at their age.

Unfortunately too many adults seem to forget that they were ever young. This is even worse if they happen to be an armed police officer. There's plenty of miserable old fogies around here that have a deep mistrust of kids, just because they're kids doing what kids do & have always done. I just hope I never get like them.

[Scottler]

Yeah but I'm only 29, and even people my age can see that the level of disrespect we were is FAR from the level of disrespect now days.

We would mouth off, but thats about it.  Now there are quite a few kids who are one way or another armed.  They don't just mouth off, they get physical.  That's completely unacceptable.

Sure, it's still disrespect, but it has evolved to a completely new level.

I mean really, how many times was your school shot up when you were a kid?  Probably the same as mine.  Never.

[Hagar]

[quote]I mean really, how many times was your school shot up when you were a kid?

[Scottler]

haha so have I.  But unhappy people don't get tazed for their misery.  Resist arrest, though, you're getting zapped.  Like I said, it doesn't matter to me how old you are, within reason of course.  I'm not endorsing tazing a two year old.  You should obviously be able to subdue a toddler.  But two fifteen year olds...that's an entirely different story.

[Hagar]

I still think that any police officer, male or female, incapable of handling a couple of unarmed 15 year-olds without using one of these weapons is in the wrong job. I see nothing in that article to say either of those kids was armed. The fact that they might have been doesn't enter into it. An old-fashioned bobby in this country would have eaten them for breakfast.

[flyboy 28]

You know there's always two sides to every story. Who knows? Maybe there was crack in the book?

[ozzy72]

I wish I could Taser my students

[beefhole]

Shocking!  ;D

Smarta$$

As someone who has extensive contact with the local police, I can say that, for the most part, they're all right around here (I'm 16).  They've all got a bit of an inferiority complex (very authoritative), but I've never actually been tazered or maced(you guys woulda heard about it, beleive me!).  Maybe it's because we either

a) do nothing to deserve it
b) more often, outrun them haha

From what I can tell, and the account given in the article, the officer had control of the kid before he tazered him.

"My friend reached over to get his book and the cop told him not to. But the cop grabbed his arm when he reached to go get it, and he shoved him into the table, put cuffs on him, and then proceeded to taser him in the leg."

Note the sequence of events.  Who the hell tazers the dude after you have the cuffs on?  However, as previously stated, there are two sides so I won't jump to conclusions.  No one here was there when it happened, so we don't really know what actually happened.

EDIT:  Yes, tazers can kill.  But why are we as a society so quick to defend the criminal and demonize the police officer?  That scares me.

Because, rather unfortunatley, in some areas the police force is still regaining our trust after certain incidents

[Paz]

 If you're doing something that causes the cops to tazer you, you deserve it, especially smartass kids.
I totally agree with Scott on this matter, if you're being a punk, you should get zapped.