Yet Another Taser Blog Post: Taser for Women

I was recently contacted by WKMG-TV Local 6 News reporter Kimberly Houk concerning a story she was doing on Taser for women. Scottsdale-based Taser International has put out a sleek Taser that is available in designer colors dubbed the C2.

While I'm not totally against firearms and Taser weaponry for civilians, I have quite a few concerns. I agreed enthusiastically to meet with Kimberly and her crew at her Orlando, FL, TV studios.

I had not worked with Kimberly before, so I was not sure what to expect. I found the experience to be terrific and the finished product was great. The video package was aired on September 6, 2007 on Local 6 News at 11.

I brought along a portable target stand and Tasers for Kimberly to fire. We videoed some me giving Kimberly some Taser instruction and fired the Tasers in the studio. Kimberly did a good job, as did another one of the station's employees. We then did the sit down interview.






As I mentioned to Kimberly in the interview, I would like to see Taser, and other companies, mandate more training. Here in Central Florida, we put recruit students in the Basic Law Enforcement Academies I manage through 770 hours of intense training. Even then, they are only just beginning to acquire the necessary tools, skills, and mindset needed to face an aggressor in a stress-filled, real-life situation. I'm not sure many people have the skills and attitude needed to, without hesitation, fend off an aggressor. I fear that the weapon could be used against them or that there is potential for misuse.

Even with that said, as I tell the police academy recruits, you often don't know how you will react in a dangerous situation until you are faced with one. While I believe in choice and freedom in the United States, I still wish there was more that could be done to protect the civilian Taser bearer and us against the Taser and possible misuse.

You can watch the Local 6 News at 11 story on the civilian use of Tasers for women on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxoCgyNvkM