Maybe tranquilizer guns should replace tasers

[Generic Other]

When animal control units respond to bears in urban areas, they use darts that temporarily stun animals without harming them. They do not taser them repeatedly. It would be considered abuse of animals if they did. No animal rights groups would stand for such treatment of wildlife.

Yet we allow the police in this country to use these weapons against citizens. Even when it is obvious they are being abused. Even when we have the scientific evidence that giving anyone this kind of power is likely to lead to abuse. One need only look at the numerous psychology experiments where test subjects given the ability to administer electric shocks to people could not resist using their power.

Day after day, we read on DU stories of out of control cops using tasers. Why haven't lawmakers addressed this issue? At the very least one would think cops should be told that the taser is not to be used in any situation except one where it is used in place of a gun. If a cop would not shoot you with a bullet, then they should not shoot you with a taser.

I would rather see cops use a tranquilizer dart to subdue a disturbed out of control suspect than a taser. In many cases, the individuals are emotionally distraught individuals not criminals anyway.

Hard to believe I would be advocating that humans be treated at leqast as humanely as we treat animals, but that's my argument.

Any thoughts?

And how do we convince lawmakers to outlaw police use of tasers?