this post was submitted on 27 May 2025
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The fact that you (an average US citizen, presumably) think tasing is de-escalation is literally part of the problem.
I was trained by US cops multiple times during my 10 years of security work. Sadly, I didn't receive much for de-escalation training. I had to learn it myself. Oh sure sometimes escalation (like sounding intimidating while moving your hand to your hip) worked as a method of de-escalation, most of the time it was to reinforce the mantra to "ensure you go home at night".
Tasers aren't even non-lethal, they are now (properly, with public outcry) considered "less lethal". No pepper spray or mace mentioned, no trip attacks, no net, no means of incapacitating him before reaching to the nearest gun-like object.
Meanwhile, we have no one there to assess him to determine what his medical and/or psychological needs are, because "he's dangerous".
The cops brought the rifle.
I get what you’re saying. I would agree in almost every case. Not on this one. You try to reason with a violent meth head that is this out of his marbles and see how that turns out for you.
No one said to reason with them. Just neutralise them without using a lethal weapon. Mace, batons and manpower will put any unarmed person on the ground.
So you think beating the shit out of someone is better than tasing them?
It objectively is. Most people are put out of action by 1-2 whacks with a telescope baton. If you've ever felt one, you'll know that your muscles basically go numb when you're hit - it's not just pain.
One of the major disadvantages with deploying tasers to untrained people (e.g. American cops), is that it causes them to think they can handle 1-on-1 confrontations and then panic when the taser fails (not unlikely). The safer way to deal with a single unarmed person is to overwhelm them with several people that force them to the ground with sheer volume of baton blows (to the legs/body), pepper spray, and body mass.
Let's see: do we want to see Daddy all beat up and bloody for a few days while he recovers / detoxes in jail, or do we want a nice tidy closed casket?