Media misinformation on transit taser usage

[mr.x]

Over the past few weeks, we've seen news reports about taser usage by transit police. I've even seen Global BC do reports interviewing the public on the street, asking for their opinions. Numerous times, the people responded by saying that they were shocked and outrage by how they were tasered for stealing a $3.00 ride.....when the fact is that those who have been tasered had resisted transit police ticket checks. They were not tasered on the spot for not having a ticket, which is what the media constantly seems to portray and misinforms the public.

This is just another case of media sensationalism and misinformation.....it's getting dangerous, when the public is constantly misinformed about what is actually going on. The media no longer reports the news - it fabricates it.

With that said, I disagree with taser usage of any sort - they should be banned from police and commercial use.....there's something very wrong with the idea of zapping someone with 50,000 volts of electricity.






TransLink responds

Letter
Published: Sunday, May 11, 2008

In response to Tim Golumbia's letter on Friday, no one has been Tasered by transit police for fare evasion.

The information released to the media indicates that Tasers were used when people resisted arrest or became belligerent, usually after police had learned there was a warrant for that person's arrest on other more serious charges.

We should also point out that oversight of transit police is done by a separate board, not the TransLink board.

It is that police board that sets policy, and police chief Bob Kind has asked for an external investigation into the incidents.

Drew Snider, TransLink

[djh]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

With that said, I disagree with taser usage of any sort - they should be banned from police and commercial use.....there's something very wrong with the idea of zapping someone with 50,000 volts of electricity.

Banned? So based on the argument that there is "something very wrong" with tasers, then shall we ban the police from having handcuffs, or batons, or guns? Or the army from having weapons? There's a time and a place for all of these things. All that needs to happen is that the right tool should be used at the right time.
Personally, I would rather the police were tasering people than shooting people, so I'm glad that a *discerning police force* have another tool available for when the situation arises.

Most of the time the police get on with their jobs without any 'mistakes' that get the attention of the press. When you think about how many hundreds or thousands of incidents happen in a city every day, the number of mistakes are infinitesimally small. Given that mistakes are bound to happen, I'd rather police make non-fatal mistakes than almost-guaranteed-to-be-fatal mistakes. What looks worse as a headline: "Innocent man shot dead by police as he reached for wallet" or "Innocent man tasered by police as he reached for wallet"?

[flight_from_kamakura]

can't find the link, but there was this hilarious story recently about the new head of the rcmp and the solicitor-general of alberta being voluntarily tased at a news conference in edmonton. apparently it was horrible to watch and it sort of ended abruptly. the only comment was from the solicitor-general, who said something to the effect of "it was the most horrifying pain imaginable" before he concluded it was safe. but you know, if you have a heart condition or blood issues, as we've seen several times now, this sucker can kill. and for non-payment of a skytrain fare, or drunken brawling, or shouting incomprehensibly at the airport, that's a pretty steep penalty.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by djh

Banned? So based on the argument that there is "something very wrong" with tasers, then shall we ban the police from having handcuffs, or batons, or guns? Or the army from having weapons? There's a time and a place for all of these things. All that needs to happen is that the right tool should be used at the right time.
Personally, I would rather the police were tasering people than shooting people, so I'm glad that a *discerning police force* have another tool available for when the situation arises.

Most of the time the police get on with their jobs without any 'mistakes' that get the attention of the press. When you think about how many hundreds or thousands of incidents happen in a city every day, the number of mistakes are infinitesimally small. Given that mistakes are bound to happen, I'd rather police make non-fatal mistakes than almost-guaranteed-to-be-fatal mistakes. What looks worse as a headline: "Innocent man shot dead by police as he reached for wallet" or "Innocent man tasered by police as he reached for wallet"?

Blame the media for its portrayal of the taser......

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by flight_from_kamakura

can't find the link, but there was this hilarious story recently about the new head of the rcmp and the solicitor-general of alberta being voluntarily tased at a news conference in edmonton. apparently it was horrible to watch and it sort of ended abruptly. the only comment was from the solicitor-general, who said something to the effect of "it was the most horrifying pain imaginable" before he concluded it was safe. but you know, if you have a heart condition or blood issues, as we've seen several times now, this sucker can kill. and for non-payment of a skytrain fare, or drunken brawling, or shouting incomprehensibly at the airport, that's a pretty steep penalty.

They get hurt or anybody else gets hurt--which do you choose?

[crazyjoeda]

when the fact is that those who have been tasered had resisted transit police ticket checks. They were not tasered on the spot for not having a ticket, which is what the media constantly seems to portray and misinforms the public.

That is what I got out of the news stories. I never thought the police were tasering people as a punishment for not having a fare. However, taser someone simply because they are resisted a ticket check is evidence that the police are incompetent with regards to using the tasers. I think the taser can save lives and be a good weapon if used properly but obviously that is not happening.