# Current LEOs - Changes in use of force policies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 16, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-leos-changes-in-use-of-force-policies/701519 "2014-10-16T19:21:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-leos-changes-in-use-of-force-policies/701519/21 "2014-10-17T18:36:48Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Hmmm… I’m surprised at the low sentences handed out for what I would assume to be a most serious crime. I’m going to make a guess that this is a side effect of plea bargaining. The guy making the decision, the DA, does not actually go out and get beat upon himself; he just needs the perp to agree to something, anything, to close the case with minimal effort. And, with minimum sentence guidelines, the only wiggle room is in the name of the charge. > > A taser is a lethal weapon. It has in numerous instances killed people. The lawyers for Taser will then sue to stop the coroner or inquiry from publishing that as an official finding, but death is always a possibility. > [Killing of Robert Dziekański - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dzieka%C5%84ski_Taser_incident#Taser_debate) > Between 2003 and 2007 there were 16 deaths attributed to tasers in Canada, which is 1/10 the size of the USA and probably has a lot lower incidence of taser use. (Typically, security guards here cannot carry tasers to “tase their bro” over hogging a microphone.) A common contributing factor is the overuse - in the referenced incident, the RCMP tased the guy 5 times, even while he was down after the first shot. > > I agree LEO’s have a crappy job and when attacked, have the right to use reasonable force to defend themselves. The emphasis on the danger of tasers in Canada after that inquiry seems to have resulted in a much more judicious use of the devices here. A lot of those tasers are people who have heart problems or on cocaine. When you high on cocaine your blood pressure is high and heart is beating fast. A normal person should not die from a tasers. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-leos-changes-in-use-of-force-policies/701519/22 "2014-10-17T20:14:45Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Hmmm… I’m surprised at the low sentences handed out for what I would assume to be a most serious crime. I’m going to make a guess that this is a side effect of plea bargaining. In the case of my brother the prosecutor asked for 3 years, half of the max. 6 months was an insult. > [@md2000](#): > > A taser is a lethal weapon. . In most jurisdictions it is not considered that. By your standard a baton could be considered a lethal weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-leos-changes-in-use-of-force-policies/701519/23 "2014-10-17T21:55:26Z")
> [@sweat209](#): > > It shock that ww3 American soldiers will not be able to run or walk no more than one mile in a day. > > That face it Americans are out of shape. It should not be the job of police academy or the army to train you and get you in shape than 5 years later you out of shape again. If you are young, it only takes 2-3 months to get into pretty decent shape if you work at it daily. I’m not worried about it. If war breaks out in June the soldiers will be fit by September. I thought the generic use of force continuum went like this: Presence Verbal commands Hands and feet (punches, kicks, shoves, holds) Less lethal tools (pepper spray, tasers, beanbag weapons, batons, etc) Lethal tools (gun) Of course I don’t know what it takes to move from one to the next. Also I know when most people think of ‘police killing people’ they think of black males, but mentally ill people are far bigger targets for police violence. I’ve heard stats running between 40-80% of people killed by police are mentally ill. > **[Half of people shot by police are mentally ill, investigation finds](https://www.salon.com/2012/12/10/half_of_people_shot_by_police_are_mentally_ill_investigation_finds/)** > > A Maine-based study found a lack of training and oversight and a system that justifies deadly use of force Mentally ill people usually don’t get public sympathy when they are killed. The incident in Albuquerque seems like an exception. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-leos-changes-in-use-of-force-policies/701519.md?page=1)