Video: Taser Tests New Tri-Fire X3 On Their Own Employees

Ok, I really don't like the tone in which these articles are written.

the TAZER is NOT A BULLET. These weapons are used for causing pain and disabling a criminal\assailant who has been given fair warning and civil commands to get down or you will be put down... The fact that these weapons HURT people TEMPORARILY is ALL you focus on!

What you SHOULD be focusing on his how this weapon will enhance police work, and give private users a method of defending themselves WITHOUT KILLING ANYONE.

I'm SICK of the underlying tone of of every article dealing with Tazers that is suggesting that the stun gun is the same as torture! CLEARLY whoever has written it has never been put in any kind of situation that would warrant self defense... except of course getting the crap beaten out of them at lunch time for their milk money.

Journalism is supposed to be CLEAR and INFORMATIVE. Unless you STATE that this is a COMMENTARY, STOP making stun guns out to be used only by the soldiers at Abu-Graib, and sadists.

BE A JOURNALIST... Show BOTH SIDES and let the Reader decide for THEMSELVES... I COULD WRITE A BETTER ARTICLE THAN YOU...

...ugh...

seatellite,
Maybe you are a bit misinformed,
Here's some info for you reading:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dzieka%C5%84ski_Taser_incident

Video here (graphic content):
www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/bc/ondemand/video/YVRTASERVIDEO.wmv

This incident was a pretty big deal here in Canada, I think it's made a lot of people think twice about tazers and their use.

sjthuss: Ok first of all, don't use Wikipedia to site facts. You could have just written that yourself.

Secondly, The video you posted was hardly something I would say wins the case against not using them.

Bridging that much voltage through a human body is NOT pleasant. That's the point. It causes debilitation so the law enforcement officer can act without putting a bullet through the offender. THAT'S THE POINT. If it means taking guns out of the hands of police, and keeping bullets out of kids, then the world should be all for it.

If I had a choice between getting shot with a .9mm versus a stun blast I'll take the stun blast...know why? cause it wont kill me.

Thirdly, That's not what I commented about. I commented on the fact that the story was poorly written do to an obvious slant of opinion toward the writer.

@seatellite

You obviously havent read the research article putting Wikipedia up against Encyclopedia Britanica.

Study: Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica
http://news.cnet.com/2100-1038_3-5997332.html

They are pretty much neck and neck when it comes to the truth. The only difference is that wiki contains much more recent truth, community updates it frequently and removes lies(most of the time), and its FREE.

So Im tired of non-techie and unscientific people like you slanting web tech and sites in a negative way when in reality you understand VERY LITTLE about history and the story behind the making of those sites. That web technology is actually changing the world...and taking away power from the old foggies like yourself who want to put the power in the hands of a few and want us all to live in the stone ages.

So agreed. Not all of wikipedia is true, but the same thing could be said about encyclopedia s...which are, by the time they are published, out of date.

And what prevents kids from getting their hands on these kinds of weapons anyways. NOTHING. Give these to criminals and they will use them for the same things they use guns and knives for. OH no. then old foggies like you will be screaming out for even better weapons, while doing armchair politics in the comfort of your own home, and slamming sites like wikipedia which are actually trying to do something...

Frankly I didnt see the tone in the article. Im glad for the information. I did see however the tone in the responses! LOL!!!!!!!!!!! NRA!!!! BRING IT ON!!!!!!! =D

Whats next? Tazer grenades, Tazer morters, and Tazer carpet bombing.

Let's look at the main points. Is a Taser scary?

Sure, it's designed to stop people from doing things.

Is it dangerous? Somewhat, but Glock, Colt, et al don't have any demos like this video.

It's a safer alternative for police to use when needed. Safer, not absolutely safe. Can bad guys get them, probably, but they already have Mac 10s.

I read the Wiki. If it is accurate, it speaks more to the behavior of the police than to the lethality of a Taser.

You can take down a person with a gun without killing them. Shoot them in the leg.

Anyways. Tasers are just as dangerous as guns. Because it's perceived as being "Non-Lethal". And that's where the danger comes from. The "Non-Lethal" stamp make people think they can just go crazy with it and not hurt anybody. It's less dangerous than a gun, yes, but it's still dangerous.

Electricity going through the body? C'mon, so many things can go wrong. Just stick to the pepper spray and a baton to the shins.

Alright, first of all, DXN3585, shooting someone in the leg is not trivial. It can be deadly. There is a major artery in the leg, called the FEMORAL ARTERY. If it is hit, the patient can bleed to death. Also, do not disregard the risk of serious orthopedic or muscular injury requiring painful surgery. Anyone who ever suffered a torn knee ligament or a broken femur can attest to that. It is far from pleasant and the recovery is long, painful, and expensive without insurance.

So from that, I can determine that A) you have never used a firearm in your life and B) you know nothing about human anatomy and physiology.

The Taser is much more humane and much less painful than a gunshot wound! Unlike a bullet, it will not leave permanent damage. It is non-lethal, and also minimizes greatly the risk of collateral damage to innocent bystanders. The job of the police is not to kill people, it is to maintain the peace and PROTECT the public. It is the job of the courts to decide whether someone is guilty or not, not the job of a cop with a gun. That is why police officers should use non-lethal weapons, such as tasers, INSTEAD of firearms, whenever possible. Likewise, it is appropriate for private citizens interested in non-lethal self-defense.

That is the whole reason why tasers were invented in the first place. Someone thought, "Hey I just want to help this drunk calm down, not kill him. Do I really have to use my Glock? Is there something less lethal I can use?"

Yes, tasers can be abused. So can sticks and stones and kitchen knives. But really, ask yourself, which weapon would you rather be hit with?

@pop reader.
The fact that outdated reference materials such as brittanica are also innacurate does nothing to support an arguement that wikki is accurate. Did your mother ever teach you that 2 wrongs do not make a right?
Seattlite's point is very well made. yes there is a danger to tasers, but the danger is less than a bullet, a baton or mace. I have been tased myself, as well as maced, I will gladly be tased again if it involves not being shot or maced. The pain from the taser goes away almost instantly as soon as the voltage is stopped, leaving a few moments of disorientation and muscle spasms, the mace burned for hours as did difficulty breathing.
Like any other leo tool tasers can be abused, but that is a human problem not a taser problem.
It would be difficult to prove but i would guess that the availability of tasers has saved more lives than it has cost.

You have to believe in the innocence of weapons, they are just another tool. Man can use almost anything as a weapon, just because a tool is designed for a specific function does not mean that it will always be used for that function. The public in general needs to stop putting the blame on objects and start looking at the wielder of the object.

That being said, I would like to point out that on rare occasions, as far back as anyone will remember, police officers have used excessive force to a lethal extent. This Canadian incident (posted above) is no different simply because they are using new technology.

Hey, didnt anyone consider tha fact that using regular fire weapons may harm also innocent people with a "lost bullet"? Or do you really believe that tha "target" will stay imobile in front of the shooter. With a teaser the "wrong" target may not even be reached, because of the range of the weapon, or in worst case, would just be stunned.

About the video... Anyone can explain to me why the "guinea pigs" were women only? Does that suggest the possibility that with men, a test could harm the subject more than with women?

No men scream too much...

DXN3585

No, shooting a suspect in the leg is a stupid idea. A leg shot does not guarantee the suspect will go down or drop whatever weapon they may have. Authorities are trained to aim at the largest part of the body, the chest. Leg and head shot are for the movies.

A taser on the other hand will drop a suspect (in most cases, PCP users need not apply) like a stone. Can it also kill, yes in deed it can in rare cases, but then again so can the lowly peanut. Just keep in mind the phrase "less lethal". Peanuts are less lethal to me (I might be able to choke on one), but my friend Wayne calls them little pellets of death (anaphylactic shock).

Damnit, it was a joke. Stop attacking me.

The point of my comment was that the danger is in the abuse of the taser because of it's percieved "Non-Lethal" image. In that Canadian story mentioned above, the taser was used for convenience, so they wouldn't have to deal with trying to talk with him or what have you. Cops are to quick to use the taser because of the "Non-lethality" of it. I've seen a lot of videos on the internet where they've used it just cuz someone was mouthing off and not posing any threat what so ever.

Shotgun bean bags, that disorienting strobe light thing, and rubber bullets, are alternatives as well. Oh and NETS!

Nets would be cool.

DXN3585

You still don’t get it. All “less-lethal” weapons are given that moniker for a reason. It’s because there are less-lethal, not non-lethal. Do a search on “killed by bean bag gun” or “killed by rubber bullet”. Sorry, but people have died as the result of being shot by them. As for your disorientating strobe light idea, that is designed for crowd control and maybe, just maybe someone with a knife, not someone with a gun. And forget nets, there is a reason you never see them used, not accurate enough and you have to get too close to the suspect to deploy them.

Anyone who believes all the rot and sensationalism associated with tasers needs to join the Darwain "Club".

Theoretically... someone puts something in your drink in a bar. You're scared and erratic. It makes you appear psychotic. The police arrive. It's your choice...

Get shot by their service weapons or a taser.

If you don't reply taser, you have no business commenting in forums. You really don't have a grasp on reality.

Yes, there are problems with most or all of the non-lethal weapons, so far. But, as an EMT for 11 years, bullets are pretty much the top of the food chain lethality.

End of story.

Some good point Sigmund51.

I still think some of these folks are watching way too many movies. There are no such things as wizards and brooms can't fly, at least not unless you throw them real hard, and even then they don't fly very far.

Let's keep it real folks.

Oops... "Darwin"... RE: Darwin Awards

Once upon a time, magazines such as PopSci and PopMech were widely regarded as bastions for guys with mature masculine values.

This is the reason I no longer buy these mags on the newsstand, and only follow links to their articles if I'm not really paying attention.

Maybe this writer could find an appreciative audience over in Martha Stewart's organization?

i agree with sixseventwo. shooting someone in the leg causes much more damage then that of a taser. know that in mainland china they dont have tasers so when you do something bad they shoot you to death without thinking. protest, you die. make a scene, you die. a taser is like a paralyzing tranquiliser that dosnt last as long. but, sometimes in shootouts if you dont have a taser, then shooting them in their leg is the only thing you can do.

WHY?!! why are you still arguing with me. Are you still going on about my joke of getting shot in the leg? Do you still not get the point of my comment?

The name less-lethal or non-lethal, however you'd like it, is misleading which makes those types of weapons dangerous. It makes the user of the weapon think that it can't really hurt anyone so they abuse the use of the weapons out of convenience. And when that happens, someone dies, because they forget that using it incorrectly may harm someone.

Oh, and I didn't find nothing on people dying from the other alternatives. Quit making stuff up.

When I wrote my comment above, I was not necessarily implying that tasers should not be used by police at all.

As DXN3585 just said, the real issue is that many police officers who use tasers do not appreciate the risks associated with their use. I believe that videos such as this one released by the taser company mislead the public about the safety of their product.

There is a big difference in the health risks associated with tasing a calm, healthy individual once during a demonstration, vs. tasing an agitated disoriented individual repeatedly until he stops moving (Robert Dziekański incident).

DXN3585

I am not arguing with you. I am just pointing out the folly on your assertions. Like when you accuse me of making stuff up. Where are you, hopefully not in some country where they filter internet traffic? Maybe you’re using Microsoft’s new search engine. Try Google, I found literately hundreds of examples of people who have died as the result being shot by rubber projectiles, from prisoners to protesters. The internet makes verification to easy; it would be stupid to make stuff up just to prove a point.

I do take exception to the way you and others here are painting the police with such a broad brush. Many cops actually know the effects of a taser. Part of their weapons training requires them to be shot with a taser before they can be issued one, no tase no gun.

But let’s go down the list of things that might kill a suspect.

Choke hold
A punch to the head
A punch to the sternum
A punch to the kidneys
Wrestling a suspect to the ground (and they hit their head)
A punch to the trachea

All of these actions can and have killed suspects.

Cops are in a no-win situation. Shoot a suspect with a knife and they die, the cop is condemned; taser a suspect with a knife the die, the cop is condemned; manage to wrestle the knife away from the suspect like in the movies but the suspect hits their head and the suspect dies, the cop is condemned.

Are all cops good??? Nope… But all cops are not bad either.

There are no 100% safe “less lethal” weapons, and the authorities know this, again that’s why they’re called “less lethal”. Let’s go back to just using guns, that way there will be no question about the outcome.

dxn3585
rubber bullets when shot at the face including the eyes can cause blindness and significant damage. rubber bullets do penetrate the skin, and you should also know that rubber bullets are very dense and are as dangerous as regular ones.

Cops are often faced with hard choices. Spend hours trying to talk sense with some drunk that is misbehaving while some armed robbers shoots dozens of employees at half a dozen stores while robbing the stores. The other choice the police officer has is to use a weapon like the Teaser to quickly deal with the problem. I have watch videos when cops have repeatedly tased, struck with batons, mased people who refuse to obey police orders to get down on the ground and stop moving. I always agree with the officer's use of force to deal with people who refuse to obey instructions. Trying to bodily handle dangerous criminals has gotten many police officers killed. Too easy for the criminal to grab the police officer's gun to use to kill the police officer with. Given the shortage of people willing to become police officers in larger cities, given the public objections to paying enough taxes to have a large police force, equipment like the taser are needed so a police officer can quickly deal with the problem to be available to handle more than one call a day.

I remember watching a video of a group of protesters who were guilty of trespassing with the goal of disrupting business. The protesters were using a device that interlocked and protected their hands to chain themselves together to prevent removal or arrest. When one police officer arrived the protesters refused to remove their hands from the protective devices. The police officer warned one of the protesters that if the protester did not unlock hands and leave that the police officer would mace the protester. The protester still refused to unlock hands and leave. Then the officer maced the protester one eye at at time. That protester accused the police officer of use of excessive force. The video proved to me that the police officer was quite restrained with his use of force. The officer could have walked around and put sprayed the Mace into every protesters faces. The officer could have clubbed one of the protesters until the protester pass out, with possible life threating injures, to force the protester to release the hand interlocking devices. Ellen

Second-guessing and gallery judging are the two most popular sports. It's a tool; an effective tool. But no tool is perfect under all circumstances. There are no guarantees in life except eventual death. That being said, I like the new Tasers. If they take down the bad guys and leave the good guys standing, that's an acceptable outcome in my book. I just hope the volunteers got a hefty bonus, at least.

the only things guarunteed in life is death and taxes

The sound of a Taser fills you with dread? Good. Im a police officer in Texas. I'll start by saying that yes, the Taser hurts like hell. But it saves lives. Ive seen it happen. I have deployed the Taser on a violent individual armed with a knife. This guy was wanted for a murder, so he really made it clear that he had no problem taking another life. While my partners talked to this guy, I was able to get behind him and succesfully deploy the Taser, and take him into custody. There is no doubt in my mind that without that Taser, it would have been a deadly force situation. Im all for anything that will keep a police officer from discharging a firearm!

ahahaha i like how all of the volunteers are women.
sexist much?

seatalite-
i've seen your comments on many different products and all i have read is negative things. you need to quit being so negative and start accepting that lots of these new and improved items or inventions are not going to fit completely to your expectations. they will get there in time, but if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all

heres an insiders scoop.....

At Taser Inc., most employees that work to develop the technology are required to be hit with one themselves. I was actually looking forward to it.

How many other weapon companies out there can say they "field test" their product on themselves?

Correction: Taser International

If Im ever in a situation ,god forbid ,that a Police officer or anyone else is pointing a gun at me trying to decide wether to shoot me or not I sure as hell hope its a taser and not a 9 millimeter .