TexasCHLforum.com

k6gixx wrote: The only problem with this argument, is that there is no reasoning with these people. Losing his composure is definitely not the best thing that could have happened, but honestly a 72 yr old anything should know better than to throw an infantile tantrum on the side of the road. If she had a problem, she could have fought the ticket using the court system. As has been said before this is Travis county. And no violence was not used to stop a hissy fit. It was used to effect the arrest.

I can't comment on the applicability of reasoning as I was not present. However, from what I have seen there was little effort made in doing so. In fact, the woman repeatedly said that she would sign the ticket but it seems the deputy had already made up his mind on the outcome of the stop. If one has to resort to the use of a Taser to effect the arrest of an obviously physically inferior person perhaps one should rethink their career path.

"Effect the arrest" is law enforcement legal semantics, Electro-Muscular Disruption was 100% unnecessary in this situation and many others which I have seen in the recent past. The seemingly standard issuance of orders and threat of further assault, oops I mean arrest effecting, while people are on the ground writhing in pain and possibly incapable of complying is over the top as well.

I just watched the video again several times, the whole thing stinks to high heaven. The encounter degraded when the deputy screamed at the woman Drill Instructor style, he then throws his own tantrum and throws his ticket book down (which is conveniently edited out of the MSM reports).

The problem with Tasers is that there are little to no residual effects, most of the time, thus they can be used indiscriminately. Or maybe I am wrong all together, perhaps we should issue them to supervisors in all businesses so they can Taser their employees when they act up or act defiantly. Heck, maybe we should start a program to hand them out at the hospital after you go home with a new baby so the parents can use them when they become unruly. We could call the program OTPC, "One Taser Per Child".

k6gixx wrote: And yes he may have towered over her, however tactics the police are taught do not allow the use of "gentleness" in the case of the elderly or infirmed.

Yes, one should default to good judgment and common sense in this case.

k6gixx wrote: If he had to take her down it would have been much worse for her. His only options were a: tase her b: spray her c: use his baton or d: use a pressure point or physical force designed to put a healthy male on the ground. You decide. I do this stuff for a living and IMHO the officer used the most effective, least destructive force necessary to subdue the individual.

With all due respect, using violence to stop a hissy fit? Here is another option, reasoned discussion and the utilization of your best weapon, your brain. As I stated in another post, the deputy carries an equal amount of blame for losing his composure.

I have been stewing on this for a few days so I will chip in my two cents.

First, the deputy clearly lost his temper which is a strike against him. Losing your cool gets you nowhere fast regardless of your profession and is inexcusable in adults.

While the woman was being ornery and I am not condoning her behavior, I don't consider her actions violent nor did she "deserve" to be Tased. In my opinion the deputy escalated the situation by losing his composure.

I was not aware that swearing and being argumentative was subject to a fine of on the spot electroshock therapy. I thought a Taser was an alternative to deadly force, not a pain compliance device. What are we, livestock? Looks like the Anti LTL crowd was dead on when they predicted the outcome of issuing these devices to law enforcement.

I see a certain "sheepdog" quote in the signatures on this board. Something to the effect of taking the higher road and setting the example. This deputy was not operating within these parameters.

>whiplash< wrote: She was resisting arrest in the video I saw. Law enforcement can't win. If the deputy constable beat the tar out of her some people would be saying he should have used the Taser instead.

This is disturbing, why should the woman be abused at all?

Bottom line, if this wasn't a highly questionable action by the deputy we would not be hearing about it. Personally, I hope the deputy is reprimanded and placed on administrative duty.