TASER For Dummies

CLADA

Before the abuse starts, no offence intended in the thread title, just borrowing from the best selling range of “How To” books.

The TASER has generated a lot of interest on this forum over the last few months among all posters and readers. A lot of people are asking how the device works? How dangerous is it? Can it replace firearms? etc….

The company takes it name from a sci fi novel “Thomas A Swift’s Electric Rifle”, the device itself is often referred to in the media as a “stun gun”, or you will often read that somebody was “electrocuted by a Taser”. This device is far more than a stun gun and its use of electricity is far more ingenious than to just electrocute somebody.

The taser has two modes of operation; (1) With cartridge, (2) without cartridge. Without the cartridge attached the device inflicts pain similar to being prodded with needles.
With the cartridge attached the device is capable of overriding the central nervous system and causing incapacitation (referred to as NMI Neuro Muscular Incapacitation).

How does this work? The cartridge contains two barbs that are discharged but remain connected to the device by means of 2 strands of wire. Both barbs must make contact with their target, it is not necessary to make contact with the skin but the combined gap between barbs lodged in clothing and the skin must not exceed 50mm.
A pulse then travels down the wires and hits the central nervous system 19 times per second incapacitating the recipient.

The pulse was developed by Tom and Rick Smith (who are taser) and it is basically a simulated nerve impulse that acts as a disruptor within the central nervous system.

What about the 50,000 volts? The voltage is the carrier of the pulse, it is 50,000 volts to enable it to jump the gap should the probes not make contact with the skin. Electricity travels through air at 1mm per 1000 volts hence 50,000 volts can jump a 50mm gap. This is preferable to creating longer sharper barbs that are travelling faster causing deeper intrusion into the body. So any wider than 50mm and the device doesn’t work.

But this is no ordinary 50,000 volts:

The 220/240volt socket in your house carries an average of 13 amps.
The 50,000 volts in the taser is carrying 0.0021 amps when it hits the body.

Amperage is the killer in electricity not voltage, so there is little or no current in the taser and the pulse hitting the nervous system and contracting the muscles gives the look and feeling of electrocution.

What do you think?

eroo

I am sick of hearing about 'volts' and 'amps'... fecking college! 1 Amp can kill, so 0.0021 is not going to kill. So they seem pretty safe.. don't know why people get so edgy about them in that case.

Steve

eroo wrote: »

0.0021 is not going to kill.

The problem is it may not kill a normal healthy person but it can be fatal for someone with a weak heart or a pacemaker.

eroo

SteveC wrote: »

The problem is it may not kill a normal healthy person but it can be fatal for someone with a weak heart or a pacemaker.

Never thought of that tbh. Good point.

Still, someone could suffer a heart attack after being hit with an ASP too.

Steve

eroo wrote: »

Never thought of that tbh. Good point.

Still, someone could suffer a heart attack after being hit with an ASP too.

True-
I'm not against the 'idea' of non fatal weapons. I wouldn't like to be in the position of the guard where it all went horribly wrong though. Apart from the legal consequences, I think psychologically it would be very difficult to come to terms with.

eroo

SteveC wrote: »

True-
I'm not against the 'idea' of non fatal weapons. I wouldn't like to be in the position of the guard where it all went horribly wrong though. Apart from the legal consequences, I think psychologically it would be very difficult to come to terms with.

I couldn't agree more. However, I think most Gardai would be in favour of tasers as it lowers risk of injury to members of public, their colleagues and themselves. The ASP means they have to get close to a suspect to use force.

Eru

SteveC wrote: »

The problem is it may not kill a normal healthy person but it can be fatal for someone with a weak heart or a pacemaker.

So can jumping out and shouting 'Boo', so can being chased by a police officer, so can someone shouting 'Stop, Gardai' in a loud manner.

Sorry but the 'egg shell skull' defence has been thrown around on numerous occasions.

lostexpectation

tasers for dummies, don't taz somebody standing on ledge of building

TheNog

lostexpectation wrote: »

tasers for dummies, don't taz somebody standing on ledge of building

goddamit ye got there before me

iMax

Don't Taze me bro !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-PcS-s9WtQ

Fun starts at 2.30 in

iMax

Just for fun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzkd_m4ivmc

TheNog

Loved the MC Hammer. Oh the memories!!!!


As for tazing that guy, as fair as I'm concerned that was lazy policing to the extreme. There was five police officers three of which tried restraining him with two looking on. A fourth then joined in but the female officer didn't participate at all and then she tried crowd control. They who struggled getting the man's arms in place for cuffing purely because one police officer had positioned himself incorrectly allowing the man to raise his shoulder so making the job much harder. Lazy, lazy. This is what I meant in another thread about over reliance on Tazers is a bad thing. This incident could have easily been dealt with without the us of the tazer. For me this is more bad press for the use of tazers.

deadwood

As a response to the increase in gun crime but in order not to have the council for civil liberties running for their, loike, human roights sackcloth and ashes I propose the following measure.



Put this baby to the tongue of a social deviant and it'll put manners on him!

CLADA

SteveC wrote: »

The problem is it may not kill a normal healthy person but it can be fatal for someone with a weak heart or a pacemaker.

Modern pacemakers are designed to withstand electrical damage by defibrillators that deliver between 150 to 400 joules. The taser delivers 0.36 joules.

There are numerous independent surveys which have proven that taser has no effect on pacemakers or the internal organs. It overrides the central nervous system and affects the skeletal muscles There is actually more amperage in that static electrical shock you get off your car door sometimes.

lostexpectation wrote:

tasers for dummies, don't taz somebody standing on ledge of building

Let's not blame the device for human stupidity.

lostexpectation

who said i was clada, http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/10/02/taser.officer.dead.ap/index.html maybe police shouldn't be put in the position of electrocuting people

metman

lostexpectation wrote: »

who said i was clada, http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/10/02/taser.officer.dead.ap/index.html maybe police shouldn't be put in the position of electrocuting people

Taser gives police another tactical option that can reduce use of force techniques on a non-compliant subject and therefore reduce the risk to police, public and suspect. Every officer should be properly equipped to protect themselves, colleagues and the general public.

And technically, Taser doesn't electrocute. It disrupts nerve impulses between brain and major muscle groups.

deadwood

metman wrote: »

And technically, Taser doesn't electrocute. It disrupts nerve impulses between brain and major muscle groups.

"Put down the knife or else ...(little bit of wee comes out as Gda Deadwood looks around and realises no help is coming til after the meal break)...or...(Gda Deadwood, touching cloth, unclips holster)...or I'LL DISRUPT YOUR NERVE IMPULSES BETWEEN YOUR BRAIN AND MAJOR MUSCLE GROUPS M****R F****R!!!!... and consider yourself cautioned"

TheNog

The new caution:


"You are not obliged to say anything but you can wiggle about the floor and scream.
Anything you do scream will be taken down in writing and may be given in eivdence".

metman

deadwood that'd gain compliance from me, and also likely give rise to my doing a no.2 as well

FGR

I know it's been discussed to the last - but will this item ever be on general issue to us as uniform members; seeing that we tend to follow the trend of our colleagues in the UK?

Aside from the Spray and Rigid Cuffs; proper vest covers and TETRA, that is.. :rolleyes: