Police: Taser Used On Nude 80-Year-Old Woman Attempting Hit Officers With Cane

CBS Charlotte ^ | June 15, 2012 10:04 AM

[driftdiver]

He used his taser because that is how he was trained. He isn’t trained to use discretion or judgement.

If the suspect has a weapon (any weapon) and will not respond to commands then force must be applied.

[Altariel]

If you have to “train” your officers to tell them “don’t tase the elderly”, you have a bigger problem than poor training.

[Altariel]

If you have to be trained to know that your goal is to take the cane away from her without using a higher level of inappropriate force and calm her down, your problem isn’t lack of training.

Seems to me a lot of non-LEOs here have recognized this as a solution—without the “benefit” of LEO training.

[Altariel]

“Evidently, they didn’t know what else to do. That’s the cryin’ shame.”

Bull. Plenty of adults on this thread *know* tasing an 80 year old woman is NOT APPROPRIATE.

If an officer claims not to know it’s not appropriate, that is grounds for immediate dismissal.

[DoughtyOne]

I can buy that in certain age groups, but discretion is part of being a reasoned officer, and Tazering an 80 year old woman with a cane causes me to question if this officer is incapable of using good judgment. He sure damaged my ability to think so.

[DoughtyOne]

You make a reasoned point.

[DoughtyOne]

That’s another reasoned point. I agree.

[DoughtyOne]

If you get a Barney Fife type, you’ll get this sort of thing. Some folks aren’t suited for the work, and they should have been filtered out.

I don’t disagree with you.

[Maigrey]

From the sounds of things, it sounds like Alzheimers. My family has dealt with it for three family members, and the breaking point for needing around the clock care has always been going outside in the nude.
My great-grandmother and grandmother also had the same affliction, and that was when they were admitted. Both women, as sweet as can be, had a dramatic change in personality once the disease progressed far enough. My grandmother would get occasionally violent, even with me, for trying to help her. I had on more than one occasion restrain her from hurting me, such as trying to bite me.

On that note, any cop who tazes an 80 year old woman and cannot disarm her without resorting to that method needs a new backbone and a new set because what they have certainly doesn't work.

What's next, beating down mentally incompetents? Oh, right. That already happened in CA where the homeless man died from the beating.

[RichInOC]

Let’s be honest. What sane peace officer wants to wrestle a naked 80-year-old woman?

[null and void]

Let’s be honest. What sane peace officer wants to wrestle a naked 80-year-old woman?

Ossifer Laz, at your, uh, service.

Oh wait, you said sane...

*nevermind*

[RichInOC]

It’s really a shame there’s not a “like” button on FR.

[Lazamataz]

You make me scream in agony