HPD Chief Rejects Moratorium on Taser Use

Set Tasers to stun, Officer! The move by Houston Police Cheif Harold Hurtt to avoid a moratorium on the use of these stunning weapons is really none to shocking. Even in light of recent, and highly controversial events at Walter's on Washington. Mayor Bill White has asked for a statistical analyis of how officers use Taser stun guns along with a "cease fire", if you will, until the results are in. On the heels of this request by the mayor, State Rep. Garnett Coleman, D-Houston, has stated his plans to file legislation rumoured to ban the use of Tasers. Houstonist is thinking out loud here, but, we may prefer a nasty shock to a bullet hole located anywhere on our person, or a criminal on the loose because a safe shot was not possible.

I think that's a mistake," Hurtt said. "Our officers have used them to reduce injuries to officers as well as to citizens on the street. What that would do is take away an option that officers have now in the level of use of force."

If Coleman files a bill that would ban Taser use, Hurtt said he will fight it "by going up and making my position known at the state level."

Coleman said today he hasn't written a Taser bill yet. He said it might or might not seek to cut off police Taser use.

"My legislative intent is to come up with a real policy that will protect police and citizens," Coleman said. "Clearly, there's a disproportionate use of Tasers not only in the city of Houston but in the country in general."

The Taser or "Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle", was designed in 1969 by Jack Cover and named after a teenaged science fiction character, who was an adventurer/inventor. The Tasers in use today typically fire small electrodes up to 30 feet and deliver a charge capable of temporarily debilitating the recipient without the need to pierce the skin (nice). For more on Taser's, click here.