The problems with tasers

Tasers are interesting tools. They don't serve any purpose beyond electrocuting a target at what is hopefully a safe distance. They're effective tools and do what they do well, I've yet to hear of a case of a failed taser ending in the death of it's user. I've also yet to read about a case where a taser failed, the situation got out of hand and the user ended up being on the short end the sword. I'd like to read about them if anyone finds an article.

The taser shares similarities with another tool: The Flamethrower. The flamethrower's purpose, like the taser, is to fire something potentially lethal at something that's at a distance. On the one hand, I can think of more then one use for the flamethrower where I'm having a hard time figuring out what else to do with a taser other then electrocute someone. A flamethrower throws flames, this is an interesting tool, a taser electrocutes anything it touches when the handler presses the button.

So the sole purpose I can think of when it comes to this tool is to tame whoever, or whatever, is in front of me at a physically dangerous distance. I would take out the taser and stun them. What would follow is the person's lost of mobility. He would fall to the floor and might jerk a bit as his or her muscles would tighten up from the electrical discharge. So now I get it! I would use a taser to stun my opponent and render him unable to fight back for a short period. He would be on the floor, unable to move until he regains his senses fully. That sounds reasonable. It sounds like a great tool!

The problem is what to do with the man (let's assume it's a man) on the floor. Now that I've rendered him immobile for what I believe is a few seconds, it's possible the man is screaming and in less of a good mood. Probably a little less willing to fight back physically. Search Youtube stunning videos where officers use a taser, I haven't yet found one where the stunned individual gets back up and continues his attempts at physical harm. So he's a little less happy, a little more in pain, and in shock trying to comprehend what the hell just happened. What do I do with this guy now? He's stunned, on the floor, screaming (because at this point, that's all he can do) and definitely less comfortable. Do I try to move him? The intelligent thing to do is to cuff him if I want to assure my security, the sensible thing to do is to give him time to understand what just happened and slowly repeat my demands to make sure he gets it this time.

The problem now is that it's probably difficult to move the man. He's on the floor with muscles that just gave away on him. Even cuffed, this guy might be a difficult task to handle. Nonetheless, I've somewhat managed to protect myself and lucky me, with this stunning tool, I don't really need to workout if I need to physically protect myself. So what do I do to move him? This is where physical training would come in handy. If the man refuses to stand up and walk with me, which he probably won't want to do until he fully grasps what happened to his use-to-be-reliable muscles, what do I do for a little cooperation? If I stun him again, he'll be back on the floor and in even less of a shape to physically cooperate.

The stun gun, taser or baton doesn't feel like such a great tool anymore. I've managed to make the situation a lot less dangerous and I've cuffed the guy without so much as a scratch, but now I have to carry the heavy bastard. I can't simply leave him there. What if more people like him come? I've just picked up dead weight!

It's interesting how certain officers decided that stunning the person might give them incentive to physically cooperate. These Youtube videos demonstrate how physically cooperative individuals become once stunned:

The first one shows officers not willing to carry dead weight, so they feel a bit of shock would make him move faster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g7zlJx9u2E

The second one shows a woman already in cuffs and custody, not to mention already inside the police station, stunned by an officer who is first only seen by his stun gun and hand sticky out of the door frame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWaCD6jIH5Q

This third one shows that someone would be able to actually move seconds after the charge has been given, but doesn't actually get all the way up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACUjnJBHIZc

This Marine Corp seems impressed but expresses how he believes the taser completely stuns someone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhkE3VTuPhk