SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR) today commended Jeffrey D. Ho, M.D. and his research team in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Minnesota's Hennepin County Medical Center for their efforts in an ongoing study to track and analyze data relating to the use of TASER(r) electronic control devices in law enforcement contacts with mentally ill persons. Ho's findings were presented last Friday, June 30th, at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) annual conference in Washington, D.C.
The study utilized TASER International's voluntarily reported law enforcement TASER system use database maintained since 1999. There where a total of 10,608 reports of TASER electronic control device use in the database over a 72-month period. Of the reported 2,452 reports of TASER system use in mentally ill persons, 1,111 (45.3 percent) were in situations where lethal force would have been justified according to the reporting officer or where the subject posed an imminent lethal danger to himself.
Although this data is subject to reporting limitations, the study indicates that in a significant number of law enforcement contacts with mentally ill persons, escalation of the contact to lethal force or suicide was prevented by a TASER device. The study recommends further research to understand the impact of TASER technology use in contacts with the mentally ill population.
"Dangerous situations arise in law enforcement encounters with mentally ill persons each and every day and TASER technology has been shown time and again to prevent the escalation of lethal force and to prevent further suspect or officer injury," said Rick Smith, TASER International CEO. "We continue to encourage and support further research into this technology."
The study's research poster is available at: http://www.TASER.com/facts/documents/NAMI%202006.pdf
About NAMI
NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has become the nation's voice on mental illness, a national organization including NAMI organizations in every state and in over 1,100 local communities across the country who join together to meet the NAMI mission through advocacy, research, support, and education. See www.nami.org for more information.
About TASER International, Inc.
TASER International provides advanced electronic control devices for use in the law enforcement, military, private security and personal defense markets. TASER devices use proprietary technology to incapacitate dangerous, combative or high-risk subjects who pose a risk to law enforcement officers, innocent citizens or themselves in a manner that is generally recognized as a safer alternative to other uses of force. TASER technology saves lives every day, and the use of TASER devices dramatically reduces injury rates for police officers and suspects. For more information on TASER life-saving technology, please call TASER International at (800) 978-2737 or visit our website at www.TASER.com.
Note to Investors
This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of the 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. The forward-looking information is based upon current information and expectations regarding TASER International. These estimates and statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, are not guarantees of future performance, and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied, or forecasted in such forward-looking statements.
TASER International assumes no obligation to update the information contained in this press release. TASER International's forward looking statements in this press release and future results may be impacted by the completion of the restatement of the Company's financial results for the first quarter of 2005 and the second quarter of 2005, risks associated with rapid technological change, new product introductions, new technological developments and implementations, execution issues associated with new technology, ramping manufacturing production to meet demand, litigation results from Company filed lawsuits and other litigation including lawsuits resulting from alleged product related injuries, media publicity concerning allegations of deaths occurring after use of the TASER device and the negative impact this could have on sales, product quality, implementation of manufacturing automation, potential fluctuations in quarterly operating results, adjustments to these amounts which may be reflected in our 10Q filing, competition, financial and budgetary constraints of prospects and customers, international order delays, dependence upon sole and limited source suppliers, negative reports concerning TASER device uses, governmental inquiries and investigations, medical and safety studies, fluctuations in component pricing, government regulations, variation among law enforcement agencies with their TASER product experience, TASER device tests and reports, dependence upon key employees, and our ability to retain employees. TASER International's future results may also be impacted by other risk factors listed from time to time in its SEC filings, including, but not limited to, the Company's Form 10-QSBs and its Annual Report on Form 10-KSB.
The statements made herein are independent statements of TASER International. The inclusion of any third parties does not represent an endorsement of any TASER International products or services by any such third parties.