Mission Statement - De-Spinning the Pro-Taser Propaganda

Yeah right, 'Excited Delirium' my ass...

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The primary purpose of this blog is to provide an outlet for my observations and analysis about tasers, taser "associated" deaths, and the behaviour exhibited by the management, employees and minions of Taser International. In general, everything is linked back to external sources, often via previous posts on the same topic, so that readers can fact-check to their heart's content. This blog was started in late-2007 when Canadians were enraged by the taser death of Robert Dziekanski and four others in a short three month period. The cocky attitude exhibited by the Taser International spokespuppet, and his preposterous proposal that Mr. Dziekanski coincidentally died of "excited delirium" at the time of his taser-death, led me to choose the blog name I did and provides my motivation. I have zero financial ties to this issue.



Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Another 'highly qualified' taser trainer?

Okay - those that have at least a Grade 10 Science Class understanding of the basics of electricity may wish to sit down before they read the following. I don't want anyone to be injured when they fall down laughing.


STERLING, Colo. — The Sterling Police Department ... officers took part in taser training Friday. ... The class was taught by SPD Sgt. Scott Annable.

It’s not the amps that are dangerous,” he said. “It’s the volts or current.
[LINK]


He's got it all bass-ackwards and totally wrong. Depending on how you parse his nonsensical statements quoted above, you can count at least two, and perhaps three, separate errors.

1. It is the current, measured in amps or milliamps, that is the risk (his 'not' is wrong).
2. 'It's the amps...' would be correct, as opposed to 'It's the volts...' which is just plain wrong.
3. 'volts or current' The 'or' is totally wrong since those two parameters are not equivalent.


With taser trainers like Annable being this ill-informed of the basics of grade-school science, then can you believe any other nuggets of knowledge and wisdom that might be emitted from their pie-hole?


Now keep in mind, this is exactly the sort of certified and qualified person that might be invited to sit as an expert witness during any local-yokel legal hearings into local taser incidents.

Shudder...

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