March 13, 2010

Chicago mayor defends TASER expansion

Daley says, "When a bullet goes through your head, that's pretty permanent"

Chicago Sun-Times

CHICAGO — TASERs have caused problems, but they do "less harm" than real bullets, Mayor Daley said Thursday, defending the Chicago Police Department's decision to dramatically expand the use of "stun guns."

Daley said the decision to more than double the use of TASERs -- and place one in every squad car -- was designed to minimize injury and reduce liability caused by police shootings.

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TASER International's registered lobbyist is former Chicago Police Supt. Terry Hillard. The company's $5 million contract runs through 2011.

"What you're trying to do is do less harm to some people who are acting -- not in a criminal way, but in a frightening way to a lot of people, " Daley said.

Does that mean the mayor is confident that TASERs are absolutely safe?

"No. No. They're working that out. But if I'm firing a bullet at you and it hits you, there's a significant difference between that and a TASER," he said. "When a bullet goes through your head, that's pretty permanent."

Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) questioned whether the police academy has the "capacity" to train officers in the safe and proper use of TASERs.

"They're going to train the officers to shoot at the back and at the legs because the back is the biggest muscle. [But] when people are confronting officers, usually it's face-forward," she said.

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