To taze or not to taze

**DennisH82** · February 21st, 2012, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by sjsufer

Bingo! Run from the Police and expect to be on the ground very shortly.

So run from the incompetent officer, get tazzed while handcuffed and suffer brain damage and that’s OK? Lately I find it very hard not to lump all law enforcement folks in the same pile but ones like this just make it easy. Yeah she was a dipshit with two hit and runs, they had her name and address, she was handcuffed, and she wasn't going to get very far. That example of Physical perfection in uniform couldn't have caught her if he had gravity on his side.

**samdog** · February 21st, 2012, 08:19 PM

It is sickening to hear her go down.

But we all have the luxury of watching the video over-and-over, freeze-framing and deciding just exactly what was the right thing to do at every second.

She was fleeing and he used the ECD in accordance with FHP policy. It's clear that he made the immediate decision to use the ECD as it is drawn and aimed coming through the door. He was trying to stop her as quickly as possible, before she could injure herself or someone else. She was running full-tilt and her momentum took her out onto the pavement. This is an unfortunate consequence she generated and he had inadequate time to consider.

It is less clear what FHP policy is, or should be, regarding restraining her -- she was after all, under arrest for 2 hit-and-runs. Proper restraint would have prevented her from fleeing at all.

Also, I think it is a fair consideration that his fitness level may have been a factor in responding with the ECD. It is not hard to imagine that a light, fit LEO might have chosen to catch her by the arms and hold her from falling, but I don't think any LEO would have been obligated to consider doing that. Additionally, while his weight condition is a personal choice, the FHP (and maybe the union) shares resonsibility for that, by allowing it.

**customloaded** · February 21st, 2012, 08:37 PM

Wow, when I was a cop and weighted 270 pounds, I could run a mile in 6 minutes. And I probably looked alot like the Trooper in this video. That was one reason I loved people to run....oh, big ole cop can't run...ha ha ha, little did they know!!! LOL

Size doesn't matter so much as physical condition. At 300 lbs, I still run the Army PT test in 15:00 minutes with six herniated discs and a knee replacement scheduled. Please, don't make this about the Officer.

The Criminal Felon hit and run driver, two times, choose to escape. If she would have done that where I worked as a cop in Georgia, Escaping Prisoner authorizes the use of DEADLY FORCE. So umm, Tazer or shot? Same end result, A dead perp.

I have to Agree with UJ on this one. She was stupid and won the idiot prize.

Also, I am surprized by the number of people who hear the head hitting the payment and cringe or feel sick. Really? Can't tell you the number of times I've heard that sound.

CL

**DennisH82** · February 21st, 2012, 09:55 PM

You know we are fast approaching the day when not answering and Officer fast enough will result in getting tazzed, fail to bow and not make eye contact will result in a wood shampoo session. When we make choices we have to look at the big picture. I am by no means saying she was an angel or that she was wrongly accused of breaking the law.
What I am saying that it is getting very disturbing when law enforcement steps up the escaltion level beyond what is right. When will it be OK to shoot someone for not paying a speeding ticket? Running from the law is just plain stupid and should be punnished if you broke the law but losing your life or ending up a vegi living off of machines is just plain crazy.
Whats the point of tazzing someone who is already handcuffed? Was the officer in fear of his life? Was she getting ready to hop in another car and drive away? This is F-ing crazy and its getting worse. I guess I should buy some foil for my hat next.

As to the officer if he was able run a mile in an hour he could have caught her with one hand and at 265 pounds she would have been jerked to a complete stop. He was walking so fast he could have caught her if he hadn't slowed to draw his taser and finnish his muffin.

**customloaded** · February 21st, 2012, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by DennisH82

You know we are fast approaching the day when not answering and Officer fast enough will result in getting tazzed, fail to bow and not make eye contact will result in a wood shampoo session. When we make choices we have to look at the big picture. I am by no means saying she was an angel or that she was wrongly accused of breaking the law.
What I am saying that it is getting very disturbing when law enforcement steps up the escaltion level beyond what is right. When will it be OK to shoot someone for not paying a speeding ticket? Running from the law is just plain stupid and should be punnished if you broke the law but losing your life or ending up a vegi living off of machines is just plain crazy.
Whats the point of tazzing someone who is already handcuffed? Was the officer in fear of his life? Was she getting ready to hop in another car and drive away? This is F-ing crazy and its getting worse. I guess I should buy some foil for my hat next.

I guess you missed the news about the Cop shooting a woman for rolling up her car window while he was speaking to her...shot her in the head and then the car moved forward and he shot five or so more times from the rear of the vehicle....she died. Shot in the back sitting in her car.

There is no national policy on tazer use. I see your point and I understand it and I agree, to a point. The fact still remains she had escaped from custody. There are unnatural acts of death all the time. Watch 1000 ways to die...some freaky shit. There is only one person responsible for her vegitative state and that is her. She choose to commit crimes. She choose to escape. The officer only used the tools available to regain control of an escaped prisoner. A less than lethal option...note, not NON LEATHAL but less than lethal. Is this situation tragic? Absolutely but who caused the whole mess? The girl. She started the carnage and fortunately, no one else was injured or killed by her poor choices.

CL

**DennisH82** · February 21st, 2012, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by customloaded

I guess you missed the news about the Cop shooting a woman for rolling up her car window while he was speaking to her...shot her in the head and then the car moved forward and he shot five or so more times from the rear of the vehicle....she died. Shot in the back sitting in her car.

There is no national policy on tazer use. I see your point and I understand it and I agree, to a point. The fact still remains she had escaped from custody. There are unnatural acts of death all the time. Watch 1000 ways to die...some freaky shit. There is only one person responsible for her vegitative state and that is her. She choose to commit crimes. She choose to escape. The officer only used the tools available to regain control of an escaped prisoner. A less than lethal option...note, not NON LEATHAL but less than lethal. Is this situation tragic? Absolutely but who caused the whole mess? The girl. She started the carnage and fortunately, no one else was injured or killed by her poor choices.

CL

While I didn't see that video I saw the interview with the witness that saw the event play out and contradicted the officer’s report. I have also seen allot of other videos that don't paint cops in a good light along with some obvious BS videos with set-ups against cops.

As for this adult woman, yeah she committed a crime, hit and run twice and was arrested. Barney Fife handcuffed her and not to a bench. Then little Miss Einstein decided that it was time to leave. Barney bolted from his recliner at a very fast shuffle causing a massive vortex as he breached the sound barrier then while inches from the road runner he hit her with a taser without breaking a sweat. From the look of him he didn't appear to be a regular at gold Gym.

As a youngin I learned first hand not to run from a cop. That particular officer of the law had a gun as well. He wasn’t light on the scale but he caught my 15 year old ass and made me understand the errors of my ways. I learned that lesson well and lived by it for the next 37 years. I would totally derail this thread if I went into the many examples of escalation gone badly. The more I respond to these types of events the more disgusted I get. I think I will keep my severe disappointment in those public servants that forget that they are servants of the people. They are charged with enforcing the laws of this society. They are and should be held to a higher standard. Alienating the people who should be their staunchest supporters and defenders is a recipe for failure and a conclusion that will end badly.