Tazer

[cacy87]

I've read a couple threads with people mentioning how they've been tazed as part of their training. Just wondering......Does everyone have to get tazed as part of the training or do some people just do it out of curiosity. Maybe I'm a wuss but after the stories I've heard about tazers I don't think I'd ever opt to take one. Anyone have any good stories to share?

[Kimble]

I've read a couple threads with people mentioning how they've been tazed as part of their training. Just wondering......Does everyone have to get tazed as part of the training or do some people just do it out of curiosity. Maybe I'm a wuss but after the stories I've heard about tazers I don't think I'd ever opt to take one. Anyone have any good stories to share?

I don't have any good stories, if by good story you mean one in which I get tazed. I'm not sure if the full-timers get tazed, as tazers are generally not accepted within my department (though I think a few of the specialized units use them). I can tell you for sure that the reserves only get tazed if they go through the optional training to get certified to carry one, which very few do.

[acreature]

We can if we want... but do not have to if we carry, just have to sit through the class.

Instructors must be tased to acquire Instructor Certificates.

[Nuklhed]

I always thought that the whole getting tazed to get certified thing was a bit crazy. Along with the pepper spray. Now I understand why we get pepper sprayed, but still, I am certified with my gun and I didnt have to get shot. :D

[Star]

They all get tazed here unless they are a heart patient or have high blood pressure and normally, they don't go to the Academy if they have those problems.

There isn't anything to be a wuss about. It's not any different than being tossed around in defensive tactics. It all hurts! :cool:

[retdetsgt]

I wouldn't do it if I had my probation done. If it was a requirement to get through an academy, I probably would because I need the job. But since pepper spray and tazers came out after I was a cop, there's no way in hell I'm going to do that. I've never carried a tazer, but I've used pepper spray and I'm just as good at spraying it as the poor schmuck who had to get doused in training.

[DeltaV]

Here you've got to get tazed if you want to carry the taser. You can opt from anywhere between a one and five second ride with the prongs taped to your clothes, or take the full five seconds and the prongs.

The reason behind it is that if you ever get into the situation where someone gets your taser from you and you have to use deadly force, you'll be able to articulate that after being exposed to the taser you know that you are totally incapacitated. Also, it's difficult for a defense attorney to call using a taser cruel and excessive (some try to) if you get exposed yourself.

As to the whole "I don't get shot by my gun ,so why this?" mindset, I don't agree with it. Getting shot causes serious injury or death. Tasers don't do that. The deaths that are 'taser related' mostly all have to do with subjects on some sort of drugs at the time. There have been no serious injuries associated with the voluntary exposures to the taser by LEOs.

Plus, there's always a chance that you'll be exposed in the field. "Friendly fire" incidents happen, as do accidental contacts with the wires when handcuffing or going hands-on with someone being tazed. Being exposed keeps officers extra aware of that because I can tell you that NOBODY wants to be exposed to that thing again!

[retdetsgt]

The reason behind it is that if you ever get into the situation where someone gets your taser from you and you have to use deadly force, you'll be able to articulate that after being exposed to the taser you know that you are totally incapacitated. Also, it's difficult for a defense attorney to call using a taser cruel and excessive (some try to) if you get exposed yourself.

I can read it off the box in court. I've used pepper spray on people and it was never a problem that I hadn't been sprayed.

My dept doesn't require people to be tazed to carry it and it's never been a problem in court. In fact, from what I've read, none of the agencies in this area require you get zapped before you carry it. What you stated is just rationalizing tazing cops.

[bpd35]

Aside from the gun all non lethal options ( So far ) have been utilized on us before we carry them. The tasers however we had a choice full ride normal 5 second prongs in skin or a drive run . I opted for the less of the 2 . Still hurt but aside from shooting someone I personally believe you have to experience it before you can have faith in it . Now that dont hold true with everything in life before someone inserts something else in here :D

[cacy87]

Thanks for all the responses. I guess it differs from agency to agency. I'm not looking forward to ever having to give one of those a test run but who is. I've got a few years before I have worry about that anyways. Thanks again.