Police cleared in Taser case

Yes, it is highly likely that the Taser shocks played a role in bringing about the death of Larry Noles. But the police officers may well not merit punishment, because they probably were simply doing what they had been taught to do. The REAL problem is the content of their training in the use of the Taser. If they had been PROPERLY trained, this death very likely would NOT have happened. The training they received in Taser use is the same training that ALL law enforcement officers have received: they take the Taser Training Course that TASER International developed and approves (certifies). The trouble with this is that TASER International teaches BOTH lethal AND non-lethal deployment of the Taser, and FAILS TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THEM. Therefore, officers who have taken ONLY the Taser Training Course that TASER International provides should be permitted to deploy a Taser ONLY when the use of deadly force is justified, just as Amnesty International and the ACLU have been demanding. Officers who have had supplementary training that teaches them (1) how a Taser kills people, (2) what constitutes a "safe Taser dose" and (3) which individuals should NOT have a Taser used against them, may be permitted to use a Taser at lower levels of force: that is, in situations where the use of deadly force is NOT justified. At present the Louisville Police Department does not know of any supplementary training course, but I shall take prompt steps to change this by sending a letter to the Chief of Police. Today is January 16, 2007. Reporters and members of the public should start asking the Chief of Police follow-up questions two weeks from now: January 31, 2007.

What gets me is that when Louisville didn't have the Tasers, everyone was complaining about the shooting deaths involving officers. We heard from groups such as the ACLU, NAACP, Louis COleman and others about why didn't the officer use a non-lethal weapon or technique on the offender. Now the Taser is in use, which by the way is a non-lethal weapon, and now everyone's on their high horse about this. What do they want? Officers to walk around with no weapons? Oh yeah, and if you happen to be in a life and death situation, you better ask that person if they have any mediacal conditions or if their weapon is real before you shoot.