Comments on: San Francisco Mental Health Board passes ‘no tasers’ resolution 9-2

By: Michael Woody

Michael Woody — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 22:14:26 +0000

Obvoiusly an officer can shoot someone brandishing an edged weapon since it is considered a deadly force implement. CIT Officers if trained correctly have empathy for those individuals suffering this devastating illness. The only less-lethal option a CIT officer would have if the mentally ill person in crisis will not stop advancing on them with an edged weapon is a taser! CIT officers do not want to use deadly force on ill persons, especially mentally ill ones, but given no other viable option they will have to use their guns. After all their baton will not cancel out an edged weapon. Nor will their oleo capsum spray as neither can reach out far enough to stop the individual from getting too close to the officers safety zone. The taser can as it will reach out 21 feet which is important to officers safety issues in research findings. So, I ask you – if it was your mentally ill child in crisis brandishing that edged weapon at officers would you want them to have the OPTION of not using their gun to protect themselves or someone else or use a taser?

By: photothinks

photothinks — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:45:01 +0000

Please note that while a Taser resolution will be discussed, commented on by the public and voted on, this is not the main focus of tonight's meeting of the Mental Health Board – Wednesday, Nov 14th, 6:30pm, 101 Grove Street, Room 300.

Most of this meeting will be devoted to a discussion of Laura's law, a controversial California state law that can permit forced treatment of the mentally ill.

There will be presentations both for and against it. This law has wide reaching implications. It offers the potential to help those in need but also the potential to be abused. Carla Jacobs, who wrote the law has flown up from Los Angeles to present the case for it. Sally Zinman, mental health rights advocate, will present the case against it. It will be an informative and interesting meeting.

David Elliott Lewis, Ph.D.
Secretary, Mental Health Board of San Francisco

By: realitychick

realitychick — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:16:36 +0000

Thank you, Ms. Harvey, for your reference to my site Truth Not Tasers. Over the years, I have made attempts to compare notes with Amnesty International on the number of people who have died after they were tasered by police. All of the 766 names on my list have been traced to at least two data sources and often to many more and, somehow A.I. continues to quote a number in the five-hundreds. Among the 766 North Americans who have died (30 of them Canadian), the only common denominator was the taser(s).

By: ISF

ISF — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 08:17:24 +0000

excellent piece, Carol !