Tonight, the city council will consider the acceptance of a $41,410 Justice Assistance Grant (Homeland Security stuff) to purchase 35 tasers for the police department. Do we need tasers in Fullerton? Judith Kaluzny raises some good questions in this letter to the council.
Dear City Council Members:
I see you will consider the purchase of 35 taser guns, number 8 on June 16 agenda.
Tasers have been outlawed in several states, including New York, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and in a number of cities, including Chicago, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia.
The use of tasers can lead to lawsuits for cities. There have been many lawsuits over mis- or mal- use. Do we really want to get into this dubious technology?
Judith A. Kaluzny, Mediator and Lawyer
www.judithkaluzny.com
Smile now, cry later
Amnesty International provides a few examples of taser abuse:
- December 20, 2007, Daytona Beach, FL – Elizabeth Beeland was struck by a Taser after she became loud and unruly at a Best Buy store. Video
- November 14, 2006, Los Angeles, CA – Mostafa Tabatabainejad, a student at UCLA, neglected to show his student identification card at the library. He was then asked to leave, and when he refused he was struck by a Taser multiple times. Video
- September 17, 2007, Gainesville, FL – Andrew Meyer persistently questioned Senator John Kerry at a university forum. University of Florida police tried to escort him from the auditorium and later struck him with a Taser for resisting arrest. Video
#1 by just a guy on June 16, 2009
Better than a gun? Maybe. But it sure is alot easier to abuse too.
#2 by M. Slagle on June 16, 2009
Admin, does the FPD have a Taser policy?
#3 by admin on June 16, 2009
Travis, did you receive any word back from our new Police Chief on his taser policy?
#4 by Travis Kiger on June 16, 2009
I was all set to receive a copy of the taser policy this morning when suddenly the department changed its mind and said that the policy was protected from public disclosure as “police tactics”. In my book, that’s a problem and the department should be ready to discuss this at tonight’s meeting.
I also learned that the department has already been using tasers for many years. The item on tonight’s agenda will give them permission to buy enough for each patrol officer.
I think the taser has a valid place as a tool for law enforcement. My concerns center around the potential for abuses and the accountability needed to mitigate such abuses. Most of the public will agree that police officers need to be strictly held accountable for any and every use of force performed in the line of duty.
If they’re doing their jobs right, the department has nothing to hide. Non-disclosure of the taser policy is a problem.
#5 by admin on June 16, 2009
Travis, very well said.
#6 by Travis Kiger on June 16, 2009
Here is the denial that I received from the department –
Dear Mr. Kiger,
Thank you for your recent request seeking a copy of our taser policy. This policy is part of our less lethal control device section, and to the extent that this policy describes the use and deployment of secondary weapons maintained by on-duty police officers, this section is exempt from disclosure pursuant to 6254(c), 6254(f), and 6255 of the Government Code.
Please call if you have any further questions regarding this issue.
Sincerely,
John Petropulos
#7 by Travis Kiger on June 16, 2009
… and my letter to the council:
Council,
On Monday, I asked for a copy of the police department’s taser policy on in reference to item #8 on tonight’s agenda. Today I was politely told that the police department’s taser policy will not be disclosed to the public.
Public disclosure of department policy regarding the use of less-than-lethal devices should be a requirement before the Justice Assistance Grant item is approved. If citizens are denied access to the policies and procedures that are supposed to protect us, how can we hold our government accountable? How can we be certain that proper disciplinary action would be taken if an officer were to abuse non-lethal force? Certainly such abuse among other police departments is not unheard of.
Non-disclosure of this policy goes against the community-oriented principles that are frequently pronounced by the police department. I urge you to discuss this item at tonight’s meeting.
Travis Kiger
#8 by Justin Harris on June 16, 2009
WHAT, no policy, how could the City Council vote to give these weapons to their employees without a policy?
#9 by Juan Loco on June 16, 2009
It looks like there is no policy for tasers. Let’s just speculate.
It would be ok for a cop to tazer me if I;
a) looked at him cross-eyed
b) raised my arm to hail a taxi
c) was jogging and failed to heed a stop sign
d) used my pocket knife to peel an apple
e) played loud and live rock and roll music without a Special Event permit
f) played loud and live rock ranchero music without a Special Event permit and didn’t offer him a schooner of beer
g) all of the above
Correct answer in Fullerton; f
#10 by van get it da artiste on June 16, 2009
rephrase $41,000 in justice assistance grants to $41,000 tax dollars siphoned into bogus homeland security grant to buy new toys for cops. homeland security is a reaction to 9/11 not a splinter faction of any local police force. How will the purchase of 35 tasers protect us from terrorists?
#11 by RandomResident on June 17, 2009
Couple of things…
…for those of you that act as if FPD is just getting Tasers, they have had Tasers for years. This is just for additional Tasers. This is nothing new.
…secondly, anything can be abused. More damage is done by police cars than ever has been done by Tasers.
If Tasers weren’t an option, then officers would be using their batons. Batons do CONSIDERABLY more damage than Tasers do.
Things to think about…
#12 by van get it da artiste on June 17, 2009
randomresident, so when terrorists try to fly a plane into a building on harbor blvd, the FPD will protect us by shooting tasers at the plane. remember this is a grant from Homeland security
#13 by Jack B. Nimble on June 17, 2009
No, van get it da artiste, that is the SAM system we put into Hillcrest Park. It was disguised as a “water tank”.
Hopefully, after we shoot it down, it lands in BP.
#14 by admin on June 17, 2009
Travis and Chief Sellers, good job last night!
#15 by Rip Van Norby on June 17, 2009
What happened? Was I asleep? Someone tazer me if I doze off again , ok?
#16 by Don't Tase Me, Bro! on July 28, 2009
http://ccinsider.comedycentral.com/2009/07/28/colbert-on-tasers-bro/
#17 by admin on August 26, 2009
check out this cop tasering an inocent mother on John Seilers blog.
http://johnseilerblogs.com/?p=1307