Stun-gun maker hires police to tout weapon

[struggle4progress]

Critics say practice could represent conflict of interest
Alan Gathright, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, February 21, 2005

The maker of a police stun gun associated with the deaths of 93 people, including several in Northern California, has hired hundreds of officers to peddle the electroshock device to law enforcement agencies in the Bay Area and across the nation.

Critics question whether Taser International's 263 police consultants, dubbed "master instructors,'' are making it clear to law enforcement agencies that they are working for the stun-gun maker or giving the impression that they represent their departments. Two months ago, a Minnesota officer quit after superiors found he had been moonlighting for Taser without their approval.

"When a police department contacts one of these master instructors for information or a demonstration, do they identify themselves as someone who's been paid by Taser International?" asked John Crew, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California. "The potential conflict of interest is huge.'' <snip>

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/21/MNGHUBERJ71.DTL

[Poppyseedman]

1. I'm a lot more concerned about this sentence in the article.

Taser also has signed up about 1,000 police officers to provide a one- hour in-home training course to people who purchase a civilian stun-gun model, which the firm began marketing last fall.

One hour??? I train people how to use power equipment, most I wouldn't leave alone with a small pocket knife for fear they pick their nose and cut it off.

I wonder how many people are going to stun Grandma getting a drink of water because she doesn't hear to well.

It doesn't surprise me that the company is using law enforcement officers to sell their wares. As long as they are open and honest that they are promoting them and being paid as a company representative.