As a paramedic, in a large metropolitan area, I have responded to several Taser applications. I have responded to only 1 Taser related death. The person engaged officers in a violent manner then attempted to flee on foot. Officers gave chase on foot and deployed the Taser to stop the person from continuing to run (and from running across the freeway w/ traffic exceeding 75 MPH). The official autopsy showed the subject to have a heavy concentration of cocaine in his system. The only other Taser related death in this area showed the subject also had a high concentration of cocaine. Tasers products are based on traditional stun-guns, some of which deliver over 100k volts (Tasers only deliver 50k volts) and require that you be in physical contact to use. Taser allows officers to use this technology from a distance, thus allowing for officer safety. Tasers have allowed officers to arrest many people that may have been killed in an officer related shooting if they did not have this less than lethal option.
PS: I have been tased in a training exercise and suffer no ill effects.
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As a paramedic, in a large metropolitan area, I have responded to several Taser applications. I have responded to only 1 Taser related death. The person engaged officers in a violent manner then attempted to flee on foot. Officers gave chase on foot and deployed the Taser to stop the person from continuing to run (and from running across the freeway w/ traffic exceeding 75 MPH). The official autopsy showed the subject to have a heavy concentration of cocaine in his system. The only other Taser related death in this area showed the subject also had a high concentration of cocaine. Tasers products are based on traditional stun-guns, some of which deliver over 100k volts (Tasers only deliver 50k volts) and require that you be in physical contact to use. Taser allows officers to use this technology from a distance, thus allowing for officer safety. Tasers have allowed officers to arrest many people that may have been killed in an officer related shooting if they did not have this less than lethal option.
PS: I have been tased in a training exercise and suffer no ill effects.