Use of police stun guns on the increase (From York Press)

All these statistics show is that tazers have replaced incapacitating spray as a means of disabling someone. Neither means has a history of misuse in North Yorkshire and as long as it stays that way there is no problem. The increase in tazer use may also be responsible for the decrease in firearms deployment, which lessens the actual chance of anyone being killed which I for one would welcome. It is such a great shame the coward who killed the two unarmed women PC's in Manchester wasn't facing an armed response team instead as he is just the sort of scum who should be terrrorised and or shot by police with guns in my opinion.

Depends how you define "misuse" I suppose.

Tasering has killed hundreds of people, and by no means all of them can be counted as "scum" even by Pete's definition.

But even if they were, what gives the police the right to be judge, jury, and excecutioner?

The police are no more perfect than the rest of us, yet we seem happy to hand them the power of life and death, despite overwhelming evidence that they misuse that power day in, day out.

Zetkin wrote:
Depends how you define "misuse" I suppose.

Tasering has killed hundreds of people, and by no means all of them can be counted as "scum" even by Pete's definition.

But even if they were, what gives the police the right to be judge, jury, and excecutioner?

The police are no more perfect than the rest of us, yet we seem happy to hand them the power of life and death, despite overwhelming evidence that they misuse that power day in, day out.

I'd define "misuse" as use on an elderly man with dementia, a fifteen year old who'd given his mother some lip or someone who is already handcuffed, all these things have happened but not in North Yorkshire.

The person I defined as scum is the one who shot two women who had no chance or means to defend temselves for no reason what so ever, then handed themselves in to avoid facing a deserved lethal response.

I'm not happy to hand them the power of life and death, but they need the upper hand against knives and let's face it if they've got tazers they're less likely to resort to guns, the statistics seem to show this although I'd still rather those guns were pointed at criminals rather than law abiding firearms certificate holders which is who our particular force seems to concentrate on bringing them to bear on in my opinion and experience.

This equipment is far more acceptable to the public than any proposed, widespread, routine arming of the police with firearms/ammunition that are designed to be lethal. Though the electrical voltage can on very rare occasions, unfortunately, bring about unforseen fatal consequences to the recipient, nevertheless, they are designed and intended as a temporary incapacitant and not as a potentially lethal weapon. As such, their proper use by suitably trained and able officers with sound judgement, is something that the public should support in the best interests of safety to all concerned, in any high octane conflict where they may be called upon to be used.

Well said Pete... But I can imagine if they were pointing guns at registered holders of firearms. They had good reason to do so. A licence to hold a firearm is not a licence to do what you want. We have to remember these officers do a job that is hard and sometimes involves doing things, we as the public do not like. I am sure if you asked some of the officers in private, they may not actually like their job. But it is a job they do. One they are doing whilst having their conditions and pay cut.

ExPatBob says...
2:50pm Fri 21 Sep 12

Well said Pete... But I can imagine if they were pointing guns at registered holders of firearms. They had good reason to do so. A licence to hold a firearm is not a licence to do what you want. We have to remember these officers do a job that is hard and sometimes involves doing things, we as the public do not like. I am sure if you asked some of the officers in private, they may not actually like their job. But it is a job they do. One they are doing whilst having their conditions and pay cut.”

Thanks Bob, they may not enjoy what they do privately, but I for one can assure you they certainly seemed to enjoy in publicly humiliatiing someone who was not armed, could not possibly be armed, has an unblemished record with firearms, taught firearms safety, had committed no crime and not harmed or threatened to harm anyone with or without a firearm in my case. They never say sorry either when they are mistaken, badly informed or just plain wrong.

I do however totally support them in tackling nutters like the one eyed scum from Manchester, I just wish they'd got there by some twist of fate ahead of the two unarmed women and saved us the expense of a trial.

Pete the Brickie wrote:

ExPatBob says...
2:50pm Fri 21 Sep 12

Well said Pete... But I can imagine if they were pointing guns at registered holders of firearms. They had good reason to do so. A licence to hold a firearm is not a licence to do what you want. We have to remember these officers do a job that is hard and sometimes involves doing things, we as the public do not like. I am sure if you asked some of the officers in private, they may not actually like their job. But it is a job they do. One they are doing whilst having their conditions and pay cut.”

Thanks Bob, they may not enjoy what they do privately, but I for one can assure you they certainly seemed to enjoy in publicly humiliatiing someone who was not armed, could not possibly be armed, has an unblemished record with firearms, taught firearms safety, had committed no crime and not harmed or threatened to harm anyone with or without a firearm in my case. They never say sorry either when they are mistaken, badly informed or just plain wrong.

I do however totally support them in tackling nutters like the one eyed scum from Manchester, I just wish they'd got there by some twist of fate ahead of the two unarmed women and saved us the expense of a trial.

Wow! I think it is high time the whole world heard this story Pete, I suppose however that you dont want to give any clue to your identity, I bet the officers concerned recognise themselves though, take care! also one can be critical of some actions of some police officers without being anti police! as for Cregan I hope he rots in life and then burns in hell. As for the two young women P.Cs may God Bless them both and their poor families, RIP