Originally posted by TheBucsFanAre you seriously suggesting that, in dealing with suspects who are not being violent or threatening, police should blindly assume they will become violent and threatening and act accordingly? Aside from the fact that it violates just about everything about everything, I don't see any problems with that.
Running onto a baseball field doesn't make someone likely to be violent. At least not anymore than a number of other crimes, such as running a red light. I don't think police should use force during a routine traffic stop just because the driver might get violent when the office approaches the window.
No, that is not what I'm suggesting at all. What I am saying is that within the boundaries and rules of the law, if you violate a law, the police have the right of contain, arrest, subdue you (or however you want to say it). Again, I understand those who say the taser is excessive in thier own opinion. But it is a legal option. The cops have the right to use it and are trained to do so in certain situations. To me, once the moron stepped onto the field, he violated the law and was fair game and security had the right to capture him as they see legally fit.
If you want to say using a taser is wrong and should be banned in certain situations or all together, I get it and totally respect that opinion. But while I'm not trying to put words into your mouths, it almost sounds like you're saying it's ok for him to run around the field and do what he wants and that the police were pigs for giving the poor kid a owie. Ok, so say the officers go and tackle him. He gets bruised or maybe breaks his arm while being subdued. The logic I get from you guys is that the police used excessive force there and were too violent. By that logic, they should had kindly waited until he was done running and gently put the cuffs on him, if of course he complied with that.
The fact is that police aren't there to be kind and nice guys. They are there to protect the law and prevent the situation from getting out of hand. I'm not saying they have the right to bash someone's skull in. They shouldn't be allowed to injure, maim, or kill anyone for any reason whatsoever. But if the law allows them to use certain actions to end a incident, then until that law is changed (by government officals or by us, the voters), I have no problem with them using those actions. If the person gets hurt as a result of those actions, he/she has no one to blame but themselves for breaking the rules and creating the incident in the first place. I do not feel sorry for them and I sure as hell do not feel sorry for this kid.
Since it came up earlier this week, what we have right here is an example - not so much an example one of those YouTube posts I hate...although it is the - WHAT THE HELL, THIS IS THE **THIRD** YOUTUBE LINK YOU HAVE POSTED IN THIS THREAD?! - but more an example of one of those CajunMan posts I hate.
Originally posted by RYDER FAKINBecause the kid was a fuck up. I get your point, but when even your parents leaving you hanging out to dry, yeah. You fucked up.
But tasers can kill people. Yeah he fucked up...so fine him $1000 and use the money to buy a treadmill for the officers down at the station.
Originally posted by supersalvadoranJoseph Ryder, I understand your disagreeing with the use of the taser. But again, I have to ask, how exactly do you know 100% he wasn't going to be a threat? How, for instance, are you so sure he wasn't hiding a object that could harm others? Or how are you so sure he wouldn't go after one of the players and attack them? ... I go by the old saying 'never judge a book by its cover' and I believe it applies in this case. Just because he was a teenager running around like a idiot doesn't mean we or the police can just assume he wasn't a threat.
I bet the players on the field felt about as threatened by this kid as the players did 40 years ago when Morganna first hopped the rail. "Who knows if those really are just tig ol' bitties hiding under that shirt amirite? Where's my baton?"
"Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." - Isaiah 58:7 (New Living Translation)
Originally posted by Joseph RyderBut tasers can kill people.
And tackling people can cripple them and/or the tackler for life. So now what?
So is your argument that the cop using a gun would have been acceptable, since it's all dangerous anyway?
There is clearly a huge difference in the level of force and risk between a Taser and a tackle. According to Amnesty International 351 people in the US have died following police use of Tasers in the past nine years. That's almost 40 a year, more than three a month. I don't have a source, but I'm pretty confident far fewer than three people per month are "crippled for life" (or otherwise severely injured) by "police tackling."
I never thought much of this story when I first saw the headline. Yeah, tasered, so what, big deal. Then I saw the video and saw how the kid was CLEARLY not posing a danger to ANYONE and I was like, this is clearly excessive force.
I totally understand everyone who has argued that you might never know when someone is actually dangerous and/or intends to harm someone until it's too late. But in THIS SPECIFIC SITUATION, the kid was basically jogging circles around a bunch of slow fat guys, not heading towards anybody in particular, not making any menacing motions, and very obviously not about to harm anyone. Using a taser is tantamount to using deadly force. I don't think anyone would advocate a cop pulling out his gun and shooting this kid in the kneecaps, so I don't think tasering him should be taken so lightly either.
Originally posted by Downtown Bookie
Originally posted by Joseph RyderBut tasers can kill people.
And tackling people can cripple them and/or the tackler for life. So now what?
...really? That's what you come up with? This thread was a respectable debate with valid points being made on either side until this comment.
Originally posted by TheBucsFanThere is clearly a huge difference in the level of force and risk between a Taser and a tackle. According to Amnesty International (amnestyusa.org) 351 people in the US have died following police use of Tasers in the past nine years. That's almost 40 a year, more than three a month. I don't have a source, but I'm pretty confident far fewer than three people per month are "crippled for life" (or otherwise severely injured) by "police tackling."
But you do have a source, and you provided it in your post:
Originally posted by Amnesty InternationalMedical studies so far on the effects of Tasers have either been limited in scope or unduly influenced by the weapons' primary manufacturer. No study has adequately examined the impact of Tasers on potentially at-risk individuals -- people who have medical conditions, take prescription medications, are mentally ill or are under the influence of narcotics.
Now I can't say that I know for sure exactly what "unduly influenced by the weapons' primary manuafacturer" means, but I'll bet it means "the studies didn't prove what we wanted to". But the key point, which I bolded, is that there is no study justifying the position that tasering an "at risk individual" is more of a threat to their health than pursuit and apprehension would be.
Originally posted by StingArmy..really? That's what you come up with? This thread was a respectable debate with valid points being made on either side until this comment.
Well, it's unfortuante that you feel that the point that I made was not only invalid, but also changed a respectable debate into one of ill repute. However, you are entitled to your opinion; I would think you would allow me mine, which I feel is quite valid, and still stands: If one is against tasering because "tasers can kill people" shouldn't one be logically consistent and also be against other uses of police force because they can likewise cause severe injury? At the very least, if you're of the opinion that tasering should be outlawed because three criminals a month in a country of over three hundred million residents die from it, shouldn't you at least be aware of exactly how that number stands up against other uses of police force?
"Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help." - Isaiah 58:7 (New Living Translation)
http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=62289 Let the parade of one-liners begin! This will finally answer the eternal question: would you rather watch a Nationals game, or have someone stick his hand in your ass?