The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) -- Police in Massachusetts now have the option of using stun guns against suspects, under legislation signed into law Thursday by Gov. Mitt Romney.
Stun guns, also known as Tasers, fire two dart-like probes with wires that snag the target up to 21 feet away and deliver a 50,000-volt burst of electricity, incapacitating the person long enough for police to put on handcuffs.
“It is, if you will, a modern billy club,” Romney said, before signing the bill.
Supporters of stun guns say they provide police with a non-lethal alternative for subduing a threatening suspect. Backers pointed to two recent fatal shootings of suspects by police in Boston that supporters say might have been avoided if stun guns were available.
Critics say that because the guns don’t leave physical injuries, police may be tempted to abuse them.