When Tasers Fail (rebroadcast)

Reveal

The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

News

4.7 • 8K Ratings

🗓️ 7 December 2019

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A Taser is supposed to help police resolve a situation without using their guns. But in police departments across America, Tasers aren’t always living up to their promise, sometimes with lethal results.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	From the Center for Investigative Reporting in PRX, this is Reveal.
0:04.4	I'm Al Letson.
0:05.6	This video has been viewed more than 7 million times on Facebook.
0:12.8	It's the band won Republic Performing Live at a private party in Orlando last year.
0:18.0	On a screen behind the band flashes a series of videos highlighting the heroism of police officers,
0:24.2	administering CPR, arresting bad guys, rescuing a drowning dog, and all ending with the message,
0:31.1	God Bless Blue.
0:35.0	A coroner from suburban Chicago recorded the band with his cell phone.
0:39.0	He was one of about 2500 law enforcement officials in the audience.
0:42.9	They were in town for a conference.
0:44.8	This party was a hot ticket, and it was free.
0:47.8	Our lineup program is going to be getting just a few more minutes.
0:51.4	Please grab a drink from the bar.
0:53.7	When Rick Smith takes the stage, he gets a rock star reception too.
0:59.3	This is so cool being up here.
1:01.3	I'm going to take a selfie so I can share it with you guys.
1:04.9	Smith is the CEO of a company called Axon.
1:08.0	He threw the party to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
1:11.7	Axon makes body cameras, drones, virtual reality simulators, but it's best known for tasers.
1:18.6	Almost every law enforcement agency in the country uses them.
1:22.4	Cops seem to love them because their electrical pulses have the power to stop dangerous people in their tracks.
1:29.3	But the problem is tasers don't always do that.
	...

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