72 year old woman tasered in Austin. Justified?? (Howe: to buy, legally)

[mmac12]

Originally Posted by FuledbyBlueBell

Ha! Apparently the TC Sheriff has a bit better judgement than this officer... statesman.com | Sheriff Hamilton "in awe" after seeing constable's taser video | The Blotter

I applaud this Sheriff for his comments, it's not easy for one law enforcement agency to comment on another's performance.

[love roses]

Originally Posted by mmac12

I think everyone is loosing sight of the fact that this was no gang-banger, no big intimidating guy but someone's mother and grandmother!!! This peace officers are supposed to be trained in how to defuse a situation ... not how to escalate it!!! He is a disgrace to his uniform and his boss is an even bigger disgrace!! If he ever encountered a real criminal he would probably panic and shoot him first!

But aren't gang bangers Uncles, sons, brothers, fathers and if old enough, grandfathers as well?

[mmac12]

Originally Posted by love roses

But aren't gang bangers Uncles, sons, brothers, fathers and if old enough, grandfathers as well?

Oh Please get real here .... all this 72 yr old lady is guilty of is acting like a child and answering this Peace Officer back!
She wasn't menacing him

[love roses]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

The issue is really down to excessive use of force in the form of the taser specifically. This was clearly an easy thing for the cop to do, rather than using either verbal or physical management skills to resolve the situation. We should expect that a properly trained police constable would be capable of physically restraining and handcuffing a small, 72 year old woman in a safe manner. Again, experience with psychiatric patients far more aggressive than this lady belies any idea that she required tasering in order to subdue.

Actually, it looked like he was trying for a while to get her handcuffed. Maybe the fact that she was smaller than him and a lot older is why he didn't throw her to the ground or against the car, but that he just kept asking her to put her hands behind her back. Maybe in his mind, risking a tasering would have been less detrimental to her than breaking her hip, shoulder, arm or something. Either one potentially could be deadly for an elderly person.

[mmac12]

Originally Posted by love roses

Actually, it looked like he was trying for a while to get her handcuffed. Maybe the fact that she was smaller than him and a lot older is why he didn't throw her to the ground or against the car, but that he just kept asking her to put her hands behind her back. Maybe in his mind, risking a tasering would have been less detrimental to her than breaking her hip, shoulder, arm or something. Either one potentially could be deadly for an elderly person.

Don't you get there are better ways this inexpeirened offier should have handled her than what you suggest.... He should of called for his supervisor to come to the scene and it hopefully would of been handled better

[love roses]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

Isn't it interesting how when you 'get sassy' with an officer, they taze or kill you. If you get 'sassy' with me, all I can do is....walk away? Odd, isn't it?

But do you have a life threatening job where at any call you get you could potentially die?

[love roses]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

Just apologize to the cop and look sad and most times you will get a warning. They want to make sure you take their authority seriously which you should because they can just zap you with a taser or shoot you dead.

Bingo!

[love roses]

Originally Posted by mmac12

I know only too well that they are not super- human, But I also know from experiene that there are many ways to defuse a situation and not provoke it, he is the professional that carries a gun and tasser and with that comes a huge responsibility anyone an subdue a72 yr old women... A true Police Offier would of handled this alot differently. She refused to comply with his instistance that she sign the ticket, she did not ASSAULT HIM! He could of simply wrote complainant refused to sign... but he let his ego and authority get to him and instead of defusing the situation he made it worse

Are you a true police officer? Do you REALLY know what you would do in that situation, or another potentially dangerous confrontation? Maybe they should allow citizen ride alongs and let the citizens have a go at all of the calls one day.

[mmac12]

Originally Posted by love roses

But do you have a life threatening job where at any call you get you could potentially die?

That is why you treat each call subjectively and it still doesn't' justify using a taser on a 72 yr old lady

[love roses]

Originally Posted by mmac12

Oh Please get real here .... all this 72 yr old lady is guilty of is acting like a child and answering this Peace Officer back!
She wasn't menacing him

In her own way, she was.