The Associated Press
FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Police have used Tasers on more than 20 people this year, and reports of suspects being injured by officers have dropped, authorities said.
The shock guns came to the city in March and now hold a permanent place in the holster of each Fargo officer on the street. Tasers shoot wired prongs that shock on contact and can incapacitate a person with 50,000 volts of electricity.
Since Tasers were introduced, Fargo police say reports generated when a suspect is injured or claims an injury have fallen by about half compared with the same period in 2003.
“The Taser has been an excellent addition into our toolbox,” said Capt. Todd Osmundson.
Critics have argued that police nationwide use the devices too often and contend they aren’t as safe as advertised.
In one recent report, Amnesty International reviewed 74 deaths since June 2001 in the U.S. and Canada involving a Taser. Some medical experts believed the shock may have exacerbated pre-existing conditions, the group said.
Greg Bjerke, a night emergency room doctor at MeritCare Hospital, said the devices probably do pose a slight health risk. But he said criticism should be tempered because of dangerous situations police find themselves in.
Bjerke said he has seen several Taser victims following their arrest.
“Most of the time they’re agitated, violent and pretty dangerous whether it’s from alcohol or meth or whatever,” he said. “One way or another, they (police) have to deal with that person’s violence.”