Friday, April 29, 2005
New Competition In The Stun Gun Market May Quell Fears About This Weapon’s Safety
News reports suggest that competition in the stun gun market has entered a new phase. I welcome the development and think it will help to quell growing antagonism toward stun guns. The perception that a safer weapon is now available from a manufacturer that people may see as more responsible could spare stun guns more bad press.
According to an Associated Press report [free registration may be required to view article] on April 17, Stinger Systems, a North Carolina-based company, has shipped 1,000 samples of its stun guns to police, prisons, and members of the military this month.
In its press releases, Stinger continually claims to manufacture a stun gun that is safer than its counterpart from Taser, the world’s largest manufacturer of stun guns.
On April 12, Jack Sherzer of The Patriot-News reported that the Pennsylvania State Police plan to receive 40 stun guns from both Taser International and Stinger for a 60-day trial.
Criticisms calling into question the safety of stun guns have mostly been overreactions. People experience uncertainty when law enforcement employs new weapons technology. Taser has weathered the brunt of this phenomenon -- unfairly, I might add. But it is difficult to turn back the clock.
A new player on the stun gun scene may mitigate the frustrations of many. And it looks like Stinger may have recognized such an opportunity.
Padraic Cassidy of MarketWatch reported in early April that Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Taser cited bad publicity for lagging sales.
Taser has had many problems. The negative attention focused on Taser’s stun gun, specifically, has been largely unfair, but the damage is done. A fresh name in this market space will go a long way to quell fears, irrational as they are, about stun guns.
News reports suggest that competition in the stun gun market has entered a new phase. I welcome the development and think it will help to quell growing antagonism toward stun guns. The perception that a safer weapon is now available from a manufacturer that people may see as more responsible could spare stun guns more bad press.
According to an Associated Press report [free registration may be required to view article] on April 17, Stinger Systems, a North Carolina-based company, has shipped 1,000 samples of its stun guns to police, prisons, and members of the military this month.
In its press releases, Stinger continually claims to manufacture a stun gun that is safer than its counterpart from Taser, the world’s largest manufacturer of stun guns.
On April 12, Jack Sherzer of The Patriot-News reported that the Pennsylvania State Police plan to receive 40 stun guns from both Taser International and Stinger for a 60-day trial.
Criticisms calling into question the safety of stun guns have mostly been overreactions. People experience uncertainty when law enforcement employs new weapons technology. Taser has weathered the brunt of this phenomenon -- unfairly, I might add. But it is difficult to turn back the clock.
A new player on the stun gun scene may mitigate the frustrations of many. And it looks like Stinger may have recognized such an opportunity.
Padraic Cassidy of MarketWatch reported in early April that Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Taser cited bad publicity for lagging sales.
Taser has had many problems. The negative attention focused on Taser’s stun gun, specifically, has been largely unfair, but the damage is done. A fresh name in this market space will go a long way to quell fears, irrational as they are, about stun guns.
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