Amnesty International Calls on Police to Stop Using TASERs on Children, the Elderly, and Persons With Disabilities
/Amnesty International USA (AIUSA)
is calling for US law enforcement to stop using TASERs on children, the
elderly, and persons with disabilities unless those individuals pose an
immediate threat to themselves, the life of an officer or a member of
the public. AIUSA renews its call following the shooting on Monday of a
14-year-old Chicago boy, who was unconscious for two days after being
shot with a TASER and then going into cardiac arrest. There have been
other recent new reports regarding children, seniors, and person with
disabilities being shot with TASER guns. "The gun's manufacturer tested
TASERs on a few dogs and pigs and has extrapolated from that limited
research that the product is safe to use on children, seniors, and
people with disabilities," said Dr. William F. Schulz, Executive
Director, AIUSA. "Before those claims can be taken seriously, parents
should know the potential effects of being shot with a TASER – that it
might affect their child's development. The families of people dealing
with mental illness or neurological disorders have a right to know how
a 50,000 volt shock will affect a loved one with Alzheimer's or
Multiple Sclerosis." Dr. Schulz went on to say, "TASER abuse in the US
has risen to a level that now demands the immediate attention of
lawmakers. Instead of being an alternative to lethal force, police
departments are clearly using TASERs in situations where they would
have never used guns, batons, pepper spray, or any other type of force.
These guns were not designed to be used cavalierly on nonviolent,
vulnerable populations." In November 2004, Amnesty International
released a report, Excessive and Lethal Force?: Deaths and
Ill-treatment Involving Police Use of TASERs, that documents 74
TASER-related deaths in the US and Canada and finds that the widespread
use of TASERs has dangerously expanded the boundaries of "acceptable"
levels of force. [more]
