SHOCKING! Police Test Electric Weapons

PolicemanPoliceman.Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

Starting 2019, a trial test of electric shock weapons will be deployed within the police districts of Oslo, Øst, Sørvest and Troms.

 

The Police Directorate began study of possible deployment of electric shock weapons in 2017, and now plans to start testing the devices at street level beginning this coming January 1st.

Electric stun weapons are currently in use within the U.S., Finland & England and have met mostly with success.

Deputy Directorate of Police, Knut Smedsrud gave comment; “We see that this is a resource that police force’s within other countries have used with good results. It’s less damaging than other traditional tools often used by police.’ –

‘One application of electric weapons is as an alternative during situations when police are using firearms. Those types of situations happen repeatedly, so it’s worthwhile to explore police use of electric weapons as an alternative to firearms, batons or gas irritants under certain circumstances,” said Smedsrud.

Electric weapons apply a 50,000 volt electric current to the body, temporarily paralyzing and thus stopping the subject under fire. Amnesty International worries that such a weapon won’t be treated as a lethal weapon.

Gerald Folkvord, political adviser for Amnesty International commented with NRK upon Norway’s intent to employ electric weapons, saying; “It’s important to accept that electric shock weapons can cause very serious injuries to people. They can even lead to death. Electric weapons should be handled in the same fashion as firearms and should only be used in situations where firearms are mandated.”

Electric weapons, or ‘Tasers’, are weapons that fire 2 small dart electrodes that lodge in a target but remain connected by wires to the main weapon. After hitting the target, the Taser then delivers a high voltage, low amperage electric current that disrupts voluntary muscle control & stops the target from being able to move.

Tasers were introduced as a non-lethal option for stopping fleeing or dangerous people who otherwise would have been subject to lethal force.

A 2009 U.S. study found police officer injuries fell 76% when Tasers were used, and Taser International posts police surveys indicating that Tasers have saved 75,000 lives through 2011.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today