reply to post by spec_ops_wannabe
As others have mentioned, Tasers are supposed to be the alternative to deadly force. Yet in practice, it seems to be the alternative to "hey
you!".
As for "bringing him in", as a psychiatric ER RN, I am totally appalled at the officers actions. First off, any idiot trained to use a taser should
know a direct shot to the heart has a good chance of being lethal. And 2nd, how about freaking talking to the guy? His wife was right there (and could
have been used to get through to him, as someone he trusts), and even though he was manic does not mean he was in full blown, gonna kill someone
psychoses. There have actually been very few times where I have not been able to eventually reach even the most psychotic person and make some
headway. And when we can't, we call for human back up and restrain them in as gentle a way as possible.
That poor man's wife. She will spend the rest of her days thinking that if she had only not called the cops, her husband would still be alive. Tasers
are a deadly intervention, just not quiet as reliably as bullets, and seriously need to be treated as such. And as incident after incident have
attested to, it clearly isn't. This type of thing will continue until the public makes it quite clear what is acceptable practice and what isn't,
and all use is reviewed just like gun discharges are.
How is that inflammatory? 
