Another death from stun guns, while oversight continues to be negligent | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This article originally appeared in the Beaufort Observer.

    We have previously reported several stories of people who have died after being "tasered," or shocked with a stun gun. Moreover, we have also reported recently that the N. C. Court of Appeals has ruled that stun guns are deadly weapons. Yet obviously some law enforcement agencies, including local agencies in Beaufort County do not treat the guns as deadly weapons. Not only does this present an unnecessary threat to public safety but it subjects the taxpayers to unnecessary civil liability.

    Now there's been another case. The Roanoke Rapids Daily Herald is reporting that a Halifax County man died last week after being shocked by police with a stun gun. The SBI is investigating.

    Commentary

    We'll say it again...every law enforcement agency should adopt policies and then train their officers to use stun guns as deadly weapons. There use should not be outlawed because they serve a legitimate purpose. But they should be used only to remove a threat of imminent harm to the officer or someone else. They should be specifically barred from being used simply because the officer is attempting to enforce his "orders."

    The law is clear on this issue. Law enforcement officials have the right to use force, up to and including deadly force, to remove an imminent threat to themselves or others; but no more force than is necessary to remove that threat.

    The problem is that officers all too often do not treat stun guns as deadly weapons. We believe the reason they typically do this is simply the result of poor training, both in the use of stun guns and in how to handle volatile situations. Other media reports said that the officer in this incident had been employed for only a month. To the extent that it is true that the death is the result of inadequate training the fault lies in two places: The top management of the agency and the civilian oversight board responsible for that agency.

    Every use of a weapon, including stun guns, firearms, billyclubs etc. should be investigated by an outside entity other than the agency's management. The results of those investigations, excluding names, should be made public and to the civilian board responsible for oversight of that particular agency.

    The failure of the Beaufort County Commissioners, in particular, to provide proper oversight of the Sheriff's Department is absolutely inexcusable and should be corrected immediately.