Sunday, May 15, 2005
Self-imposed stun gun use guidelines should help police regain credibility and trust
Through self-imposed guidelines, some police departments are beginning to regulate their use of stun guns. As I've argued before, law enforcement's decision to make changes will go a long way to restore credibility and trust even as more human rights groups publicly decry these weapons.
People want to think their elected officials and those who enforce the laws have feelings. Some of that trust has been lost in the translation as law enforcement has begun to use stun guns more and more. A public act of concern about stun gun use by the people who use them will do wonders for the weapon's public relations woes. Public announcements of concern from police who use stun guns should help to reverse the tide.
On May 10, Alan Gathright of the San Francisco Chronicle reported on a regional human rights organization's demand that San Jose, Calif. Police halt stun gun use immediately. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability cited concerns that other groups have over the past months.
We have heard the human rights organizations' concerns time and time again. While nobody is ever 100 percent wrong, these people come pretty close to it when they talk about stun guns.
Yes, stun guns come with risks. No weapon is 100 percent safe, but this has never been the point. If police opt to use stun guns more often than they use their firearms, the net gain should be much safer circumstances for the public. This will be especially true if we develop strict guidelines for usage, as some police departments and associations of law enforcement professionals already have.
The Kansas City Star's Christine Vendel reported on May 10 that Kansas City police have "adopted a policy [that] clarifies situations in which officers can use" stun guns. The May 8 editorial page of Florida Today, in a piece calling for more restrictions on stun gun use, cited Brevard County, Fl. police chiefs who have also recommended new guidelines for stun gun use.
Industry and law enforcement are moving in the right direction on stun gun use. Soon, the extremists' exaggerations will be evident. We must reign in the hyperbole and think clearly about stun guns, which are here to stay.
Through self-imposed guidelines, some police departments are beginning to regulate their use of stun guns. As I've argued before, law enforcement's decision to make changes will go a long way to restore credibility and trust even as more human rights groups publicly decry these weapons.
People want to think their elected officials and those who enforce the laws have feelings. Some of that trust has been lost in the translation as law enforcement has begun to use stun guns more and more. A public act of concern about stun gun use by the people who use them will do wonders for the weapon's public relations woes. Public announcements of concern from police who use stun guns should help to reverse the tide.
On May 10, Alan Gathright of the San Francisco Chronicle reported on a regional human rights organization's demand that San Jose, Calif. Police halt stun gun use immediately. The Coalition for Justice and Accountability cited concerns that other groups have over the past months.
We have heard the human rights organizations' concerns time and time again. While nobody is ever 100 percent wrong, these people come pretty close to it when they talk about stun guns.
Yes, stun guns come with risks. No weapon is 100 percent safe, but this has never been the point. If police opt to use stun guns more often than they use their firearms, the net gain should be much safer circumstances for the public. This will be especially true if we develop strict guidelines for usage, as some police departments and associations of law enforcement professionals already have.
The Kansas City Star's Christine Vendel reported on May 10 that Kansas City police have "adopted a policy [that] clarifies situations in which officers can use" stun guns. The May 8 editorial page of Florida Today, in a piece calling for more restrictions on stun gun use, cited Brevard County, Fl. police chiefs who have also recommended new guidelines for stun gun use.
Industry and law enforcement are moving in the right direction on stun gun use. Soon, the extremists' exaggerations will be evident. We must reign in the hyperbole and think clearly about stun guns, which are here to stay.
# posted by IDTheftSecurity.com @ 9:21 AM 
