Collegiate Times

Taser guns, used primarily by police departments, are meant to reduce the number of police officers' deaths.

 However, many people are concerned about the ethical implications surrounding the weapon.

A recent incident at the University of Florida raised awareness about the topic when officers Tased a man speaking at a John Kerry forum.

University of Florida senior Andrew Meyer was charged with disturbing the peace and resisting arrest with violence after making a scene during the forum. Police approached him after he asked long-winded questions that resulted in the loss of power to his microphone.

In the offense report, Officer Nicole Mallo wrote, "after many attempts to get the man to comply, he chose to continue actively resisting the officers. I obeyed the command from Sgt. King to utilize the Taser for the continuation of non-compliance by the man."

Following the incident, many that attended the forum wanted to know why the UF police officers needed the Taser to subdue Meyer, even though he was already on the ground.

While there is an ongoing investigation as to whether the proper procedures were followed and whether the officers acted appropriately, many students are voicing their opinions on the issue.

"That wasn't necessary in that situation because he wasn't a threat," said Marissa Rice, freshman biology major. "They could have arrested him without actually Tasing him."

When a person is shot with a Taser, they are incapacitated from electric shock via two stainless steel barbs. Their muscles are involuntarily contracted and unable to function for several seconds, possibly minutes.

Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International believe the use of this weapon as anything more than a last resort is in violation of international standards, which state that officers should apply only the minimum amount of force necessary to control the arrest.

According to an Amnesty International study, since June 2001 there have been 152 Taser-related deaths, and in many of the cases, the use of Tasers was excessive as victims were unarmed and already restrained.

Also, the fact that many of those who died had underlying health issues, such as heart conditions or mental illnesses, raises concern.

A person on drugs, a pregnant woman, or anyone with overall weak health has a higher risk of dying from the shock of a Taser.

Although 7,000 of the 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the U.S. currently use Taser guns, neither the Tech nor the Blacksburg Police Department carry them.

"We just haven't seen a need for them yet," said Tech Chief of Police Wendell Flinchum.

Agencies that do use Tasers go through training and weekly or daily visual inspections to ensure the proper use.

Taser International, the company providing the electroshock weapons since the 1970s, claims that Tasers are a safe alternative when using force.

Additionally, all members of the company's senior management voluntarily experienced the electroshock devices in order to prove their safety.

Despite these claims, Amnesty International and other organizations are continuing to seek as much concrete evidence as necessary to either stop, or greatly reduce the use of Taser guns worldwide.