The Aurora Police Department ( APD ) is a law enforcement agency serving the City of Aurora , Colorado , United States and some surrounding areas. Its headquarters are at 15001 East Alameda Parkway. APD is one of the largest municipal police departments in Colorado, and the second largest police department in the Denver-Metro area .
105-991: The department has been embroiled in numerous scandals related to police misconduct. The Aurora Police Department currently employs 744 officers and 168 civilians. The Aurora Police Department is a full-service police department that retains many specialized units or roles including: Police Area Representative (PAR), Field Training Officer (FTO), K-9 Officer, School Resource Officer (SRO), Motorcycle Enforcement Team, Hostage Negotiator, Traffic Accident Investigator, Persons Crimes Detective, General Investigations Detective, Economic Crimes Detective, Crimes Against Children Detective, Homicide Detective, Safe Streets Task Force, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), Emergency Response Team (ERT), Gang and Robbery Intervention Team (GRIT), Direct Action Response Team (DART), Fugitive Apprehension and Surveillance Team (FAST), among others. On 2 March 2015, An Aurora officer shot and killed Naeschylus Carter-Vinzant while trying to serve
210-547: A NASA researcher, began developing the first Taser in 1969. By 1974, Cover had completed the device, which he named TASER, using a loose acronym of the title of the book Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle , a book written by the Stratemeyer Syndicate under the pseudonym Victor Appleton and featuring Cover's childhood hero, Tom Swift . The name made sense, given that the Taser delivers an electric shock. This
315-406: A Taser is a long range weapon that fires barbed darts and incapacitates the target by disrupting voluntary muscular control through the motor nervous system. However, some models of Taser blur this distinction as they are capable of delivering a "drive stun" , a pain compliance technique involving placing the weapon in direct contact with the subject's body and discharging a shock without firing
420-533: A cause of death by some medical examiners for several years, mainly as a diagnosis of exclusion established on autopsy . Additionally, academic discussion of excited delirium has been largely confined to forensic science literature, providing limited documentation about patients that survive the condition. These circumstances have led some civil liberties groups to question the cause of death diagnosis, claiming that excited delirium has been used to "excuse and exonerate" law enforcement authorities following
525-401: A diode - capacitor voltage multiplier to achieve an alternating high-voltage discharge or a continuous direct-current discharge. It may be powered by one or more batteries depending on manufacturer and model. The amount of current generated depends on what stunning capabilities are desired, but without proper current calculations, the cause and effect of high voltage is muted. Output voltage
630-564: A "patented neuromuscular incapacitation (NMI) technology." In May 2003, TASER International released a new weapon called the TASER X26 conducted energy device, which used "shaped pulse technology." On July 27, 2009, TASER International released a new type of TASER device called the X3, which can fire three shots before reloading. It holds three new type cartridges, which are much thinner than the previous model. On April 5, 2017, TASER announced that it
735-448: A 21-year-old tourist from Brazil. He died after repeated exposure to a Taser device even after being physically apprehended (by the weight of several police officers lying on top of him compressing his chest and making it hard to breathe. He was pepper sprayed at the same time). The Coroner was scathing of the "thuggish" behavior of the police. The repeated use of several Taser devices was considered excessive and unnecessary. A study for
840-576: A Taser. Personal use TASERs are marketed in the US, but prohibited in Canada. In Canada, all taser possession is considered illegal. There is a categorical ban on all conducted energy weapons such as stun guns or tasers, according to section 84 of the Canada Criminal Code. TASERs in Canada are only legal for Law Enforcement users. The first TASER conducted energy weapon was introduced in 1993 as
945-404: A Tasert CEW, police must immediately call for an ambulance. The victim must be medically checked directly at the place of the shooting, and only a medically trained person may remove the darts. From 2006 to 2012, Austrian police used Taser CEWs 133 times—127 against humans and six against dogs. About 1,000 police officers were permitted in 2012 to carry and use a Taser CEW. Use of the Taser device
1050-564: A gun. According to previous interpretation of the Firearms Act, 1995 , Taser CEWs were considered "prohibited weapons" and could be used only by members of law-enforcement agencies after they were imported into the country under a special permit. The possession of restricted weapons must be licensed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Canadian Firearms Program unless exempted by law. A 2008 review of
1155-420: A home without a warrant and handcuffed two men. The matter was settled with a payment of $ 150,000. On 18 June 2017, Lt. Charles DeShazer was recorded using the racial slur " Alabama porch monkeys " to refer to black people. DeShazer was fired for his comments, but subsequently reinstated. In March 2019, Officer Nate Meier was found in his uniform and official police vehicle asleep. A blood test showed five times
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#17327914517591260-680: A less-lethal force option for police to use to subdue belligerent or fleeing suspects, who would have otherwise been subjected to more lethal force options such as firearms . As of 2010 , according to one study, over 15,000 law enforcement and military agencies around the world used tasers as part of their use of force continuum . A 2009 report by the Police Executive Research Forum in the United States found that police officer injuries dropped by 76% in large law enforcement agencies that deployed taser devices in
1365-528: A limited number of tasers to their general police forces. Some states, such as Berlin, have use of force guidelines that only permit taser use where firearm use would also be justified. The Bundeswehr (German armed forces) does not issue tasers nor are they used in training. Under the Firearms Act of 1925, tasers, pepper spray and stun guns are illegal to possess or purchase in Ireland, even with
1470-417: A long history of use to prevent the escape of dangerous suspects without needing to resort to lethal force, or used to capture suspects without risking serious injuries to both the officer and the suspect. US patent by Kunio Shimizu titled "Arrest device" filed in 1966 describes an electrical discharge gun with a projectile connected to a wire with a pair of electrode needles for skin attachment. Jack Cover ,
1575-407: A long-range wireless electro-shock projectile called XREP(eXtended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile), which can be fired from any 12-gauge shotgun . It contains a small high-voltage battery. Its range is currently 30 metres (98 ft), but the U.S. Department of Defense , which funded development for the technology, expected delivery of a 90 metres (300 ft) range projectile of this type from
1680-402: A man who was allegedly trespassing. When Rosen arrived on scene, he began to punch the suspect multiple times in the ribs and deployed his taser more than five times. The suspect was "passively resisting", laying on the floor covering his arms before Rosen arrived on scene. On 11 February 2021, police chief Vanessa Wilson fired Rosen for excessive use of force, unsatisfactory performance, misuse of
1785-403: A metal end split into two parts electrically insulated from each other, or two thin projecting metal electrodes about 2.5 centimetres (1 in) apart, at an end of a shaft containing the batteries and mechanism. At the other end of the shaft are a handle and a switch. Both electrodes must touch the subject. In some types the sides of the baton can be electrified to stop the subject from grasping
1890-411: A modulated electric current designed to disrupt voluntary control of muscles, causing " neuromuscular incapacitation." The effects of a TASER device may only be localized pain or strong involuntary long muscle contractions, based on the mode of use, connectivity and location of the darts. The TASER device is marketed as less-lethal , since the possibility of serious injury or death exists whenever
1995-400: A pair of electrodes and propellant for a single shot and is replaced after each use. Once fired the probes travel at 180 feet (55 m) per second, spread 12 inches (300 mm) apart for every 7 feet (2.1 m) they travel, and must land at least 4 inches (100 mm) apart from each other to complete the circuit and channel an electric pulse into the target person's body. They deliver
2100-482: A police officer to be allowed to carry and use one. Members of the general public are not allowed to own tasers, with possession or sale of a taser punishable by up to 10 years in prison. As of September 2019, 30,548 (19%) of police officers were trained to use tasers. Tasers were deployed 23,000 times from March 2018 to March 2019, compared to only 10,000 times in 2013; however the UK police definition of "deployed" means that
2205-579: A potential assailant, and gain compliance of a suspect without having to deploy the loaded cartridges. During the warning arc mode, the TASER CEW will display an arc of electricity at the front of the device. The TASER 7 device is the second newest of all four CEWs. It is a two-shot device with spiral darts that spool from the dart allowing the probes to fly straighter. The TASER 7 device's rapid arc technology with adaptive cross connections allows for full incapacitation. The TASER 7 CEW connects wirelessly to
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#17327914517592310-570: A prohibited "firearm". This misunderstanding was subsequently incorporated into the RCMP's operational policies and procedures as well as those of other police services in Canada. While the most recent RCMP operational manual, completed in 2007, correctly refers to the CEW as a prohibited firearm, a number of consequences of this error in classification remain to be dealt with, by both the RCMP and other Canadian police services. Consequently, it could be argued
2415-480: A prototype in 2003, uses an aerosol as the conductive medium. The manufacturers called it a "Plasma Taser"; however, this is only a marketing name, and the weapon does not use plasma . According to the proponents of this technology, problems associated with this design include: Since 2001, Russian developer Oleg Nemtyshkin has sought to create a repeating stun pistol, after the Axon Taser CEW. This weapon,
2520-510: A state licence. A weapons permit is required to purchase and own a taser. Since April 2008, tasers can be legally purchased by persons 18 and older, but can only be carried by persons with a firearm carry permit ( Waffenschein ), which is only issued under very restricted conditions. In 2001, Germany approved a pilot project allowing individual states to issue tasers to their SEK teams ( police tactical units ); by 2018, 13 out of 16 states had done so. A number of states have also provided
2625-498: A taser, and failure to operate a body-worn camera. In July 2021, Officer John Haubert detained an unarmed man, pistol-whipped him at least seven times, and choked him for 39 seconds. Haubert also held his gun point blank against the man's head, later stating he would have shot him but wasn't sure if his gun was loaded. A second officer was standing nearby and did not intervene. Haubert was charged with felony second-degree assault, felony menacing, and two misdemeanors. The second officer
2730-641: A valid firearms certificate. Tasers are legal for civilians to own, provided they possess a valid permit under the Customs Act. Currently, police in Jamaica do not have access to tasers, but in February 2021, Corporal James Rohan, Chairman of the Police Federation, requested access to non-lethal weaponry in order to deal more effectively with encounters with mentally ill individuals. Under
2835-458: A warrant. He was unarmed. The matter was settled with a payment of over two and a half million dollars. New reports indicate that on 29 June 2015, police arrested a pickpocket named Jeffery Gale. Seven Aurora officer handcuffed and hog-tied him. They then repeatedly attacked him with a Taser . On 14 November 2015, Aurora police officers illegally arrested Dwight Crews after ordering him from his house. They had no warrant for his arrest. The matter
2940-497: Is a piezo-electric projectile that generates and releases electric charge on impact. Prototype electroshock guns exist that replace the solid wire with a stream of conductive liquid (e.g., metallic solution, salt water), which offers an increase in the range of a Taser CEW (or better) and the possibility of multiple shots. According to the proponents of this technology, difficulties associated with this experimental design include: Another design, announced by Rheinmetall W&M as
3045-411: Is claimed to be in the range of 100 V up to 6 kV; current intensity output is claimed to be in the range of 100 to 500 mA; individual impulse duration is claimed to be in the range of 10 to 100 μs (microseconds); frequency of impulse is claimed to be in the range of 2 to 40 Hz ; electrical charge delivered is claimed to be in the range of 15 to 500 μC (micro coulombs ); energy delivered is claimed to be in
3150-675: Is fired, instead of spooling from the TASER cartridge which increases stability while in flight and therefore increases accuracy. The spiral darts fly straighter and faster with nearly twice the kinetic energy for better connection to the target and penetration through thicker clothing. The body of the dart breaks away to allow for containment at tough angles. TASER 7 has a 93% increased probe spread at close range, where 85% of deployments occur, according to agency reports. Rapid arc technology with adaptive cross-connection helps enable full incapacitation even at close range. TASER 7 wirelessly connects to
3255-536: Is legal for the police in Brazil. Its use is widespread mainly in the Guardas Municipais (Municipal Guards), who receive professional training in the use of electro-conductive pistols. Taser devices are also used by military police and specialized forces. There are laws allowing their use by private security companies , but such use is unusual because of the expense of maintaining a Taser CEW compared with
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3360-654: Is required to purchase and own a taser. Only members of law enforcement are allowed to own a taser legally. However, according to an article by The Globe and Mail, many Canadians illegally purchase tasers from the US, where they are legal. Under the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Control of Firearms and Public Security Punishment Law, tasers are prohibited for civilian ownership in China without an application for
3465-515: Is sent to tell the control pack to give the subject an electric shock. Some models are activated by the subject's movement. The United States uses these devices to control prisoners. One type is the REACT belt . Some stun belts can restrain the subject's hands and have a strap going under his groin to stop him from rotating the belt around his waist to reach its battery and control pack and trying to deactivate it. Stun belts are not generally available to
3570-478: The Firearms Act, 1995 found that the act classifies "the TASER Public Defender and any variant or modified version of it" as "prohibited firearms". However, Canadian police forces typically treat TASER devices as "prohibited weapons", inconsistent with the restrictions on firearms. The direct source for this information comes from an independent report produced by Compliance Strategy Group for
3675-539: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to classify it as a firearm in 1976. Cover's patent was adapted by Nova Technologies in 1983 for the Nova XR-5000, their first non-projectile hand-held style stun gun. The XR-5000 design was widely copied as the source for the compact handheld stun gun used today. Electroshock weapon technology uses a temporary high-voltage, low- current electrical discharge to override
3780-572: The Committee against Torture of the UN. Possession, ownership and use of a stun gun (including Taser CEWs) by civilians is considerably restricted, if not illegal in all States and Territories. The importation into Australia is restricted with permits being required. Stun gun use in Australian law enforcement is as follows: Austria allows police to use stun guns, including Taser CEWs. After using
3885-731: The Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law , import, carrying, purchase and use of stun guns or tasers is prohibited in Japan. Stun guns and tasers made in Russia can be purchased for self-defense without special permission, however, under the Federal Law No. 150 "On Weapons" of the Russian Federation it's illegal to import and subsequent sale of any foreign stun devices or tasers into the country. The ban has been in place since
3990-508: The National Association of Medical Examiners until 2023. Excited delirium is thought to involve delirium , psychomotor agitation , anxiety , hallucinations , speech disturbances, disorientation , violent and bizarre behavior, insensitivity to pain , elevated body temperature , and increased strength. Excited delirium is associated with sudden death (usually via cardiac or respiratory arrest ), particularly following
4095-670: The Police Executive Research Forum says that total exposure should not exceed 15 seconds. There are other circumstances that pose higher secondary risks of serious injury or death, including: Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Paul Howard Jr. said in 2020 that "under Georgia law, a taser is considered as a deadly weapon." A 2012 study published in the American Heart Association 's journal Circulation found that Tasers can cause "ventricular arrhythmias , sudden cardiac arrest and even death." In 2014, NAACP State Conference President Scot X. Esdaile and
4200-710: The Robert Dziekański Taser CEW incident at Vancouver International Airport . Under the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Control of Firearms and Public Security Punishment Law, stun guns and tasers are prohibited for civilian ownership in China without an application for a state licence. A weapons permit is required to purchase and own a stun gun or taser. Electroshock weapons that require direct contact are not regulated by Czech law. They may be purchased, owned and carried for personal protection without any limitations. Taser CEWs are considered class C-I firearms under Czech law, i.e. freely available over
4305-422: The U.S. Department of Justice recommend that use of Drive Stun as a pain compliance technique be avoided. The guidelines were issued by a joint committee of the Police Executive Research Forum and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The guidelines state "Using the CEW to achieve pain compliance may have limited effectiveness and, when used repeatedly, may even exacerbate
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4410-610: The American College of Emergency Physicians, who argued in a 2009 white paper that excited delirium may be described by several codes within the ICD-9 . In 2017, investigative reporters from Reuters reported that three of the 19 members of the 2009 task force were paid consultants for Axon, the manufacturer of Tasers. Tasers are prohibited for civilian ownership in Australia in every state and territory. A weapons permit
4515-511: The Axon Evidence network that includes inventory management capabilities among other things. The TASER 10 device was officially announced by Axon on January 24, 2023. The TASER 10 was dubbed the "less-lethal weapon of its era" by Axon. In addition to the functions of the TASER 7, the TASER 10 features an increased probe distance of up to 45 feet, waterproof capabilities, increased probe velocity (205 feet per second), and ability to deploy
4620-648: The Axon network, allowing for easier updates and inventory management. A TASER device may provide a safety benefit to police officers. The use of a TASER device has a greater deployment range than batons , pepper spray , or empty hand techniques. This allows police to maintain a greater distance. A 2008 study of use-of-force incidents by the Calgary Police Service conducted by the Canadian Police Research Centre found that
4725-566: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, indicated that the threshold of energy needed to induce deadly ventricular fibrillation decreased dramatically with each successive burst of pulses; however, one pulse may provide enough energy to induce deadly ventricular fibrillation in some cases. The threshold for women may be less. Although the Taser CEW is a programmable device, the controlling software does not limit
4830-489: The Connecticut NAACP argued that Tasers cause lethal results. Reuters reported that more than 1,000 people shocked with a Taser by police died through the end of 2018, nearly all of them since the early 2000s. At least 49 people died in the US in 2018 after being shocked by police with a Taser. Some TASER device models, particularly those used by police departments , also have a "Drive Stun" capability, where
4935-612: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The report is called An Independent Review of the Adoption and Use of Conducted Energy Weapons by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. In the report that is available through access to information, the authors argued that the CEW was, for several years after its adoption by the RCMP, erroneously characterized as a prohibited "weapon" under the Criminal Code , as opposed to
5040-490: The TASER Pulse, which runs at a 30 second cycle once fired to allow the victim the opportunity to escape. The TASER X26P device is a single-shot CEW that is the smallest, most compact SMART WEAPON of all four Axon models. The TASER X2 device is a two-shot TASER CEW with a warning arc and dual lasers . The warning arc is a function the officer can utilize with the push of a button to intimidate an aggressor, warn
5145-528: The TASER device is held against the target without firing the projectiles, and is intended to cause pain without incapacitating the target. "Drive Stun" is "the process of using the EMD (Electro Muscular Disruption) weapon as a pain compliance technique. This is done by activating the TASER [device] and placing it against an individual's body. This can be done without an air cartridge in place or after an air cartridge has been deployed." Guidelines released in 2011 by
5250-420: The TASER device's electrical charge" may lead to medical risks such as cumulative exhaustion and breathing impairment. Because there was no automatic stop on older model Taser devices, many officers have used it repeatedly or for a prolonged period of time, thus potentially contributing to suspects' injuries or death. The current X26 model automatically stops five seconds after the trigger is depressed and then
5355-427: The Taser device on healthy test subjects. However, Taser International no longer claims the devices are "non-lethal", instead saying they "are more effective and safer than other use-of-force options". Currently , Taser devices are programmed to be activated in automatic five second bursts, and the operator can stop the energy charge by engaging the safety switch. The charge can also be prolonged beyond five seconds if
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#17327914517595460-581: The United Kingdom the possession and purchase of any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing is prohibited. This includes electroshock weapons. The United Nations Committee against Torture reports that the use of Taser devices can be a form of torture, due to the acute pain they cause, and warns against the possibility of death in some cases. The use of stun belts has been condemned by Amnesty International as torture , not only for
5565-571: The United States Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice entitled Police Use of Force, TASERs and Other Less-Lethal Weapons , over 15,000 law enforcement and military agencies around the world used TASER devices as part of their use of force continuum . Just as the number of agencies deploying TASER conducted energy weapons has continued to increase each year, so too the number of TASER device related "incidents" between law enforcement officers and suspects has been on
5670-473: The University of Florida Offense Report). Amnesty International has expressed particular concern about Drive Stun, noting that "the potential to use TASERs in drive-stun mode—where they are used as 'pain compliance' tools when individuals are already effectively in custody—and the capacity to inflict multiple and prolonged shocks, renders the weapons inherently open to abuse." According to a 2011 study by
5775-462: The area touched by the TASER [CEW], but does not have a significant effect on the central nervous system . The Drive Stun does not incapacitate a subject but may assist in taking a subject into custody." The UCLA Taser incident and the University of Florida Taser incident involved university police officers using their TASER device's "Drive Stun" capability (referred to as a "contact tase" in
5880-436: The baton above the electrodes. Some models are built into long flashlights also designed to administer an electric shock with its lit end's metal surround (which is split into halves insulated from each other). A stun belt is a belt that is fastened around the subject's waist, leg, or arm that carries a battery and control pack, and contains features to stop the subject from unfastening or removing it. A remote-control signal
5985-426: The body's muscle-triggering mechanisms. Commonly referred to as a stun gun, electroshock weapons are a relative of cattle prods , which have been around for over 100 years and are the precursor of stun guns. The recipient is immobilized via two metal probes connected via wires to the electroshock device. The recipient feels pain , and can be momentarily paralyzed while an electric current is being applied. Essential to
6090-513: The catalyst for the development of the device was the "shooting death of two of his high school acquaintances" by a "guy with a legally licensed gun who lost his temper". The two decedents, Todd Bogers and Cory Holmes, died in 1991 not 1990 as Smith has claimed. Family members and friends of the two state that Smith was not friends with them, as Smith has claimed, and they were never "football teammates", as Smith has claimed. The two graduated before Smith attended Chaparral High School. Family members of
6195-503: The company in 2007. An XREP projectile was controversially used by British police during the 2010 Northumbria Police manhunt . It subsequently transpired that the XREP had never been officially approved for use in the United Kingdom and the weapon system was provided unrequested to the police at the scene directly by the civilian company which distributes Taser International's products in the UK. The company's license to provide Taser systems
6300-471: The counter, however the owner must be older than 18, have full legal capacity, place of residence in the Czech Republic, clean criminal record, full mental capacity and must register the taser with police. In Finland possession of a Taser CEW is legal only for police officers. Police have been using Taser CEWs since 2005. Nowadays there is one in almost every patrol car. Taser devices are used by
6405-566: The death of detained subjects, a possible "conspiracy or cover-up for brutality" when restraining agitated individuals. Also contributing to the controversy is the role of TASER device use in excited delirium deaths. Excited delirium is not found in the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . The term excited delirium was accepted by the National Association of Medical Examiners and
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#17327914517596510-643: The death of the Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at the airport in Vancouver, Canada where he died after the RCMP officer, in spite of his training, repeatedly stunned him with a TASER CEW. The report by forensic pathologist Charles Lee, of Vancouver General Hospital, listed the principal cause of death as "sudden death during restraint", with a contributory factor of "chronic alcoholism". A similar incident occurred in Sydney, Australia, to Roberto Laudisio Curti ,
6615-406: The department look like the ‘community.'” Taser A TASER is a conducted energy device (CED) primarily used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus less-lethal manner. Sold by Axon , formerly TASER International, the TASER fires two small barbed darts intended to puncture the skin and remain attached to the target until removed by
6720-522: The firing was upheld, at which point Huffine sued the Department in an attempt to get his job back. In February 2020, an Aurora officer was fired for misconduct during an incident the preceding August. The interim police chief Vanessa Wilson announced the action to the press but refused to elaborate on what the officer might have done. On 10 August 2020, Officer Robert Rosen responded to a King Soopers supermarket to assist another officer in arresting
6825-480: The first decade of the 21st century compared with those that did not use them at all. Axon and its CEO Rick Smith have claimed that unspecified "police surveys" show that the device has "saved 75,000 lives through 2011." A more recent academic study suggested police use of conducted electrical weapons in the United States was less risky to police officers than hands-on tactics, and showed officer injury rates equal to use of chemicals such as pepper spray . Tasers have
6930-481: The first of its kind, uses tensioned, uninsulated wire and is capable of cycling multiple shots with the pull of a trigger. A video of the S5 pistol firing at targets was uploaded on YouTube . Because of the use of electricity and the claim of the weapon being non-lethal, controversy has sprouted over particular incidents involving the weapon and the use of the weapon in general. In essence, controversy has been centered on
7035-404: The first version of the law was approved in 1996. Tasers are classified as weapons under Federal Law No. 3 of 2009, and therefore require a valid license to own or import. Adopted and used since 2004 by Korean National Police . Tasers have been in use by UK police forces since 2001, and they require 18 hours of initial training, followed by six hours of annual top-up training, in order for
7140-477: The justification of the use of the weapon in certain instances, and, in some cases, health issues that are claimed to be due to the use of the weapon. Tests conducted by the Cleveland Clinic found that Taser CEWs did not interfere with pacemakers and implantable defibrillators. A study conducted by emergency medicine physicians at the University of California, San Diego, US showed no lasting effects of
7245-508: The legal limit of alcohol. Aurora officers responding to the situation turned off their body cameras, failed to test a clear liquid found in a bottle in the car and did not collect evidence that could have been used in a criminal prosecution. After being demoted, Officer Meier remained on the job. On 24 August 2019, responding to a call of a "suspicious person", the Aurora Police Department arrested Elijah McClain while he
7350-585: The likelihood that the device would be used by criminals; upon use, it released many small pieces of paper containing the serial number of the TASER device. The U.S. firearms regulator, the ATF, stated that the Air TASER conducted energy device was not a firearm. In 1999, TASER International developed an "ergonomically handgun -shaped device called the Advanced TASER M-series systems," which used
7455-418: The manufacturer has identified other risk factors that may increase the risks of use. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and very thin individuals are considered at higher risk. Persons with known medical problems, such as heart disease, history of seizure, or have a pacemaker are also at greater risk. Axon also warns that repeated, extended, or continuous exposure to the weapon is not safe. Because of this,
7560-644: The market. According to § 40 Abs. 4 WaffG, the German federal police may approve of exceptions. Such a special approval for purchase, ownership and carrying was in effect until 31 December 2010. As of 1 January 2011, only devices carrying the PTB 's seal of approval are legal. Previous owners may keep their devices, but cannot carry or sell them. Electroshock weapons effective over a distance, like Taser CEWs, have been completely outlawed in Germany since 1 April 2008. In
7665-412: The number of the bursts of pulses and the time between bursts while the trigger is held down continuously, or the number of times the shock cycles can be repeated. Electroshock weapons have been made illegal in Germany by supplement 2 WaffG if they do not carry an official seal of approval demonstrating they do not constitute a health risk. As of July, 2011, no such seal has been issued to any device on
7770-428: The operation of electroshock, stun guns and cattle prods is sufficient current to allow the weapon to stun. Without current these weapons cannot stun and the degree to which the weapon is capable of stunning depends on its proper use of current. It is reported that applying electroshock devices to more sensitive parts of the body is even more painful. The maximum effective areas for stun gun usage are upper shoulder, below
7875-651: The physical pain the devices cause, but also for their heightened abuse potential, due to their perceived "harmlessness" in terms of causing initial injuries, like ordinary police batons do. Amnesty International has reported several alleged cases of excessive electroshock gun use that possibly amount to torture. They have also raised extensive concerns about the use of other electro-shock devices by American police and in American prisons, as they can be (and according to Amnesty International , sometimes are) used to inflict cruel pain on individuals. Taser CEWs may also not leave
7980-458: The police in Canada may not have had the proper authority under their provincial policing Acts and Regulation to use the CEW in the first place. The point of unauthorized use by the police was also raised by Dirk Ryneveld, British Columbia's Police Complaint Commissioner at the Braidwood inquiry on June 25, 2008. Taser device safety and issues have been extensively rehearsed and investigated after
8085-423: The police, they attacked him with a Taser. The matter was settled out of court for $ 110,000. On 16 March 2016, Aurora officers entered a coffee shop and approached Omar Hassan who was eating a muffin. With their hands on their guns they ordered out of the store telling him, "Your kind of business is not welcome here." The matter was settled for $ 40,000. On 2 June 2016, in a case of mistaken identity, police entered
8190-448: The probes individually allowing the officer to create their own "spread" unlike previous models, which relied heavily on precise aiming of the prongs at a fixed angle with the assistance of two lasers. As with all less-lethal weapons, use of the TASER system is never risk-free. Sharp metal projectiles and electricity are in use, so misuse or abuse of the weapon increases the likelihood that serious injury or death may occur. In addition,
8295-523: The probes. In 1935, Ciril Diaz of Cuba designed an electroshock glove for use by the police. The glove delivered 1,500 volts of electricity (only 3% of the modern tasers voltage) Jack Cover , a NASA researcher, began developing the Taser in 1969. By 1974, he had completed the device, which he named after his childhood hero Tom Swift ( "Thomas A. Swift's electric rifle" ). The Taser Public Defender product used gunpowder as its propellant, which led
8400-430: The products state that a half-second shock duration will cause intense pain and muscle contractions, startling most people greatly. Two to three seconds will often cause the recipient to become dazed and drop to the ground, and over three seconds will usually completely disorient and drop the recipient for at least several seconds. Taser International warns law enforcement agencies that "prolonged or continuous exposure(s) to
8505-467: The public. Stun shields are shields with electrodes embedded into the face, originally marketed for animal control, that have been adopted for riot control. A taser is a handheld weapon that fires two small dart-like electrodes which remain connected to the main unit by conductors. It delivers electric current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles resulting in pain and broad " neuromuscular incapacitation". Taser International has developed
8610-444: The range of 0.9 to 10 J. The output current upon contact with the target will depend on various factors such as target's resistance, skin type, moisture, bodily salinity, clothing, the electroshock weapon's internal circuitry, discharge waveform, and battery conditions. The M-26 Taser models produce a peak current of 18 amperes in pulses that last for around 10 microseconds. Manufacturers' instructions and manuals shipped with
8715-432: The rib cage, and the upper hip. High voltages are used, but because most devices use a less-lethal current, death does not usually occur from a single shock. The resulting "shock" is caused by muscles twitching uncontrollably, appearing as muscle spasms. The internal circuits of most electroshock weapons are fairly simple, based on either an oscillator , resonant circuit (a power inverter ), and step-up transformer or
8820-510: The rise. Some of the deaths associated with TASER devices have been blamed on excited delirium, a controversial medical diagnosis that supposedly involves extreme agitation and aggressiveness. It has typically been diagnosed postmortem in young adult black males who were physically restrained by law enforcement at the time of death. The diagnosis was supported by the American College of Emergency Physicians from 2009 to 2023 and
8925-473: The shock through thin flexible wires. Long-range electroshock projectiles, which can be fired from ordinary shotguns and do not need the wires, have also been developed. Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, stun guns are actually direct contact weapons that work mainly through pain compliance by affecting the sensory nervous system. It can also cause some muscular disruption, but that generally requires 3–5 seconds of direct contact. In comparison,
9030-469: The situation by inducing rage in the subject." A study of U.S. police and sheriff departments found that 29.6% of the jurisdictions allowed the use of Drive Stun for gaining compliance in a passive resistance arrest scenario, with no physical contact between the officer and the subject. For a scenario that also includes non-violent physical contact, this number is 65.2%. A Las Vegas police document says "The Drive Stun causes significant localized pain in
9135-440: The size of a TV remote or calculator, and they must touch the subject when used. The original XR-5000 design in 1983 had the electrodes spread farther apart to make the noisy electric arc between the electrodes as a more visible warning. Some such devices are available disguised as other objects, such as umbrellas, mobile phones or pens. The larger baton-style prods are similar in basic design to an electric cattle prod . It has
9240-418: The target is said to have been " tased ". The effects of a taser may only be localized pain or strong involuntary long muscle contractions, based on the mode of use and connectivity of the darts. In the United States, TASERs are marketed as less-lethal , since the possibility of serious injury or death exists whenever the weapon is deployed. At least 49 people died in 2018 after being shocked by police with
9345-684: The telltale markings that a conventional beating might. The American Civil Liberties Union has also raised concerns about their use, as has the British human rights organization Resist Cardiac Arrest. In 2010, one court ruled against the use of five imported Taser devices by the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Police , to comply with a claim from the Human Rights Observatorium, that states that Taser CEWs are considered an instrument of torture by NGOs and
9450-403: The trigger is held down continuously. The operator can also inflict repeated shock cycles with each pull of the trigger as long as both barbs remain attached to the subject. The only technical limit to the number or length of the electrical cycles is the life of the battery, which can be ten minutes or more. Concerns about the use of conducted electrical weapons have arisen from cases that include
9555-490: The trigger must be depressed again to send another shock. The trigger can be held down continuously for a longer shock or the device can be switched off before the full five seconds have elapsed. The devices have no protections against multiple police officers giving multiple shocks, cumulatively exceeding the recommended maximum levels. There is a fabric that purports to protect the wearer from Taser devices or other electroshock weapons. The compact handheld stun guns are about
9660-504: The two have criticized his use of their deaths for profit. In 1993, Rick Smith and his brother Thomas founded the original company, TASER, and began to investigate what they called "safer use of force option[s] for citizens and law enforcement". At their Scottsdale, Arizona , facilities, the brothers worked with Cover to develop a "non-firearm TASER electronic control device". The 1994 Air TASER Model 34000 conducted energy device had an "anti- felon identification (AFID) system" to prevent
9765-450: The use of physical control measures, including police restraint and TASER devices. Excited delirium is most commonly diagnosed in male subjects with a history of serious mental illness or acute or chronic drug abuse , particularly stimulant drugs such as cocaine . Alcohol withdrawal or head trauma may also contribute to the condition. The diagnosis of excited delirium has been controversial. Excited delirium has been listed as
9870-625: The use of the TASER device resulted in fewer injuries than the use of batons or empty hand techniques. The study found that only pepper spray was a safer intervention option. A typical TASER device can operate with a peak voltage of 50 kilo volts (1200 Volts to the body), an electric current of 1.9 milliamps, at for example 19 100 microsecond pulses per second. A supplier quotes a current of 3-4 milliamps. As of September 30, 2024, Axon has three main models of TASER conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) available for law enforcement use but not necessarily civilian use. Civilians, however, have access to
9975-461: The user of the TASER device, at a speed of 55 m/s (120 mph; 200 km/h). Their range extends from 4.5 m (15 ft) for non-Law Enforcement Tasers to 10.5 m (34 ft) for Law Enforcement Tasers. The darts are connected to the main unit by thin laquer insulated copper wire and deliver a modulated electric current designed to disrupt voluntary control of muscles, causing " neuromuscular incapacitation." When successfully used,
10080-407: The weapon has been drawn; in the majority of cases it will not have been fired. In March 2020, extra funding was provided to purchase devices to allow more than 8,000 extra British police officers to carry a taser. There has been considerable controversy over the use of Taser devices on children and in schools. The earliest known case of a taser being used on a child was on June 10, 1991, when one
10185-579: The weapon is deployed. There are a number of cartridges designated by range, with the maximum at 35 feet (11 m). Cartridges available to non- law enforcement consumers are limited to 15 feet (4.6 m). Practically speaking, police officers must generally be within 15 to 25 feet (4.6 to 7.6 m) to use a Taser, though the X26's probes can travel as far as 35 feet. The electrodes are pointed to penetrate clothing and barbed to prevent removal once in place. The original TASER device probes unspool
10290-428: The wire from the cartridge, causing a yaw effect before the dart stabilizes, which made it difficult to penetrate thick clothing. Newer versions (X26, C2) use a "shaped pulse" that increases effectiveness in the presence of barriers. The TASER 7 conducted energy device is a two-shot device with increased reliability over legacy products. The conductive wires spool from the dart when the TASER 7 conducted energy device
10395-494: Was afterwards revoked by the Home Secretary Theresa May . Due to increased interest in developing less-lethal weapons, mainly from the U.S. Military, a number of new types of electroshock weapon are being researched. They are designed to provide a "ranged" less-lethal weapon. The electrolaser is a prototype weapon that uses a laser to create a conducting ionized channel through the air. A shockround
10500-401: Was also done on the pattern of laser , as both a Taser and a laser fire a beam at an object. The first Taser model that was offered for sale, called the TASER Public Defender, used gunpowder as its propellant, which led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to classify it as a firearm in 1976. Former TASER International CEO Patrick Smith testified in a TASER-related lawsuit that
10605-476: Was charged for not intervening against the use of force. Press report in early February 2022 indicated that Doug Wilkinson, the head of the local police union was fired. This was the result of an investigation into an email sent to his members that pointed out that “to match the ‘diversity’ of ‘the community’ we could make sure to hire 10% illegal aliens, 50% weed smokers, 10% crackheads, and a few child molesters and murderers to round it out. You know, so we can make
10710-419: Was rebranding itself as Axon to reflect its expanded business into body cameras and software. In 2018, TASER 7 conducted energy device was released, the seventh generation of TASER devices from Axon. A TASER device fires two small dart-like electrodes , which stay connected to the main unit by thin insulated copper wire as they are propelled by small compressed nitrogen charges. The cartridge contains
10815-425: Was settled with a payment of $ 35,000. On 22 December 2015, OyZhana Williams drove a man to the emergency room for treatment of a gunshot wound. There, several Aurora officers attacked her, slamming her head the ground and stomping on her. The matter was settled with a payment of $ 335,000. On 19 February 2016, Aurora police officers detained Darsean Kelly as he was near the scene of a crime. Although he did not resist
10920-632: Was used to incapacitate an 11-year-old girl in order to kidnap her. According to Jaycee Dugard , whenever she tried to escape, her kidnapper threatened to use the taser again. Conducted energy device An electroshock weapon is an incapacitating weapon . It delivers an electric shock aimed at temporarily disrupting muscle functions and/or inflicting pain , usually without causing significant injury . Many types of these devices exist. Stun guns, batons (or prods), cattle prods , shock collars , and belts administer an electric shock by direct contact, whereas Tasers fire projectiles that administer
11025-444: Was walking home with groceries. McClain subsequently died as a result of police action during the arrest. On 27 August 2019, Officer Levi Huffine hog-tied a black woman with her hands and ankles behind her back and ignored her cries for help for 20 minutes after she fell off the back seat of his cruiser in an inverted position, body camera imagery showed. Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson fired Huffine. Huffine appealed his firing, but
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