Taser Working Group Mulls Best Practices

Tasers can be a better alternative for subduing suspects if police use the weapons properly, says a member of Allegheny County's Taser Working Group. Ken Gormley is the Interim Dean of Duquesne University's Law School. He says statistics from other cities suggest that the use of tasers can reduce deaths in confrontations between suspects and police. Gormley says even the presence of tasers can be a deterrent. But policies for taser use can vary. Gormley says that's raised questions about what best practices should be. For instance, should police be required to take someone who's been tasered to the hospital in order to have the weapon's probes removed? Should they call a paramedic? Or is it okay for officers to remove the probes?

Gormley says he's learned a lot about how the weapons work and what can make their use riskier. For instance, he says tasers should not be used if suspects are standing in a pool of water, or on a roof--because the shock makes people lose muscle control, and they fall.

Gormley says he has not seen evidence that suggests police who have tasers are "trigger happy." Although the weapons are considered to be non-lethal, Gormley says he thinks most police are conscious of the need to use them appropriately. The weapons also have a computer that tracks how often and for how long they are used, potentially identifying officers who mishandle them.

The Taser Working Group was formed by the District Attorney's office last fall to recommend guidelines for police use of the weapons. Gormley says group still has a few more meetings before it begins to draft those recommendations.