SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 29, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), the market leader in advanced electronic control devices (ECDs), commends Charlie Mesloh, Mark Henych, and Ross Wolf and the Florida Gulf Coast University Weapons and Equipment Research Institute for their study, Less Lethal Weapon Effectiveness, Use of Force, and Suspect & Officer Injuries: A Five-Year Analysis. The research was supported through a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. A report on the study was presented last month to the National Institute of Justice.
According to the report, the "study examined the use of force levels by the police and subject resistance levels in two law enforcement agencies in Central Florida; the Orange County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), and the Orlando Police Department (OPD). Both agencies provided copies of force documentation pursuant to public records requests as stipulated in Florida law. While previous research on police force has focused on the rate of police force, this study examined situations that required force and the actions taken by law enforcement and citizens during the encounter."
General findings from the study include:
TASER devices had a 69 percent success rate of ending a conflict at the first iteration compared to 65 percent for chemical sprays, 45 percent for impact weapons, 41 percent for takedowns, and 16 percent for compliance holds;
The success in ending the confrontation after one iteration with a police dog was greater than both TASER devices and chemical agent;
The injuries of both officers and suspects rose correspondingly with the length of the confrontations;
The use of decisive force early on in active suspect officer confrontations appears to be the solution in ending conflict quickly and thereby statistically reduce the likelihood of additional injuries whose rates increase as iterations 2 and 3 are examined;
Researchers identified a phenomenon of "Force Deficit." That is, in examining the cumulative force after three iterations, it appears as though the officers are consistently using less force than may be justifiable or necessary to subdue the suspect and end the confrontation. This may be an unintended consequence of their training;
The deterrent effect of less-lethal options such as TASER devices and police dogs is of much interest, and is worthy of future study.
Specific to the question of multiple uses of TASER electronic control devices, the researchers state in their report:
"The increase in both probe and drive stun performance of the TASER over iterations is consistent with the marketing and training by the parent company, TASER International. Their training never suggests that a single application will always be sufficient to overcome suspect resistance. To the contrary, TASER International has maintained that multiple applications may be necessary and the individual officer must decide whether additional force is required. Despite negative media coverage touting abuse, multiple TASER deployments (delivered by probes or drive stun) may be necessary to obtain the effectiveness that agencies are seeking." (page 65)
Further, in their report to the National Institute of Justice, Mesloh, Henych and Wolf conclude:
"TASERs play an important role in law enforcement. This research and this report show that electric weapons are deployed more frequently than other less-lethal weapons and tactics, but they also appear to enjoy higher success rates in conflict resolution. This success in bringing officer/suspect confrontations to an end is invaluable as it has the effect of reducing injuries to all persons in the conflict. When officer and suspect confrontations continue into multiple iterations, the result is a much higher injury rate for both suspects and officers. This immediately begets the conclusion that the law enforcement community has a duty to use sufficient levels of less lethal force (and in some cases deadly force), at a legally acceptable level (equal or greater to that of the subject's level of resistance), quickly and decisively at the onset of a conflict. This may cause concern to some, especially if there is community distrust in the police; however, when properly administered in the hands of a legitimate police organization they may in fact be reducing injuries to all parties."
"The fact that TASERs offer society the best 'set phasers on stun' solution currently available makes them extremely appealing to police in use-of-force situations. Added to this are the many safeguards implemented by TASER International to identify when and where a TASER has been discharged. These electronic and physical tracking safeguards highly discourage improper use. In a police use of force confrontation, the most humane weapon or tactic would be one in which the resultant injury would be the least severe. While TASERs are not injury free (puncture wounds from dart probes, or skin burns from drive stuns), the alternative (broken bones from batons, burning pain from pepper spray, and potential death from firearm) makes them a preferential choice. Clearly this research has shown that electric weapons are very effective at ending conflict situations quickly, this in turn leads to less injuries to both suspects and officers."
The 104-page report, Less Lethal Weapon Effectiveness, Use of Force, and Suspect & Officer Injuries: A Five-Year Analysis, dated September 2008, can be found at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/224081.pdf.
About TASER International, Inc.
TASER International's products protect life. TASER provides advanced Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) for use in the law enforcement, medical, military, corrections, professional security, and personal protection 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. For more information, please call TASER International at (800) 978-2737 or visit our website at www.TASER.com.
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This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including statements, without limitation, regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. We intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 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. These statements are qualified by important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those reflected by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include but are not limited to: (1) market acceptance of our products; (2) our ability to establish and expand direct and indirect distribution channels; (3) our ability to attract and retain the endorsement of key opinion-leaders in the law enforcement community; (4) the level of product technology and price competition for our products; (5) the degree and rate of growth of the markets in which we compete and the accompanying demand for our products; (6) risks associated with rapid technological change and new product introductions; (7) competition; (8) litigation including lawsuits resulting from alleged product related injuries and death; (9) media publicity concerning allegations of deaths and injuries occurring after use of the TASER device and the negative effect this publicity could have on our sales; (10) TASER device tests and reports; (11) product quality; (12) implementation of manufacturing automation; (13) potential fluctuations in our quarterly operating results; (14) financial and budgetary constraints of prospects and customers; (15) order delays; (16) dependence upon sole and limited source suppliers; (17) negative reports concerning the TASER device; (18) fluctuations in component pricing; (19) government regulations and inquiries; (20) dependence upon key employees and our ability to retain employees; (21) execution and implementation risks of new technology; (22) ramping manufacturing production to meet demand; (23) medical and safety studies; (24) field test results; and (25) other factors detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, those factors detailed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Form 10-Qs.
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