Police Stupidity

Ever since police departments started issuing tasers to their officers in an effort to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries resulting from firearms, it was probably inevitable that a great many departments would have any number of jackasses who want to act like Captain Kirk taking down a savage Klingon.

But this is just a little much.

Granted, this sixty-seven year old grandmother probably shouldn't be allowed to drive, seeing as she almost ran into a school bus, and her license should probably be suspended for trying to elude pursuing officers, but was there really any need to taser her? All she did was ignore the officers commands to stop when she got out of the car as she continued walking away. It's not like she jumped out with a weapon bearing down in their direction. Is it remotely possible this old woman has a hearing problem?

I think there's possibly an explanation for this though that goes beyond the simple prospect of some jackass with a shiny new toy. The police today are probably afraid to treat any one person from any given group-even someone who is obviously elderly and relatively infirm-differently than they would, say, a 240 pound, six-foot four inch muscle-bound thug with a carload of drugs and a semi-automatic weapon.

Can't we just agree that it's probably best to wait and see if there is any real danger posed to the officers or to by-standers before we start shooting voltage, or failing that, that the perpetrator might have a reasonable chance of eluding the police if drastic measures aren't taken? I don't think this old woman was going to get very far.