By Luke Thomas
February 22, 2011
A coalition of civil rights groups and community based organizations, including the Harvey Milk Democratic Club, have joined forces in opposing the use of Tasers in San Francisco.
In a February 11 letter to the San Francisco Police Commission ahead of a rehearing on the use of Tasers tomorrow, the groups urge commissioners to “vote ‘no’ on any effort to bring Tasers to San Francisco. Tasers are highly controversial and ultimately will erode trust between communities and the police.”
In a split 4-3 decision in March 2010, the Commission voted against the implementation of the potentially lethal stun guns, refusing to implement a policy drafted by then SFPD Chief George Gascón.
People of color and the mentally ill are particularly vulnerable to the disproportionate use of Tasers, the groups say. And while the city grapples with a $350 million projected budget deficit, litigation resulting from accidental Taser deaths could far outstrip the $2 million estimated cost of purchasing and training in the use of Tasers.
A study by the United Nations Committee Against Torture has condemned the use of Tasers citing their use as tantamount to “torture,” and an independent study by the University of California, San Francisco, found that incarceration sudden deaths increased almost six-fold where Tasers are used.
Proponents of Tasers argue their use could reduce the number of police involved shootings and deaths.
The Harvey Milk Democratic Club has scheduled to host a community forum on Tasers tonight, 7 pm, at the Women’s Building. Acting SFPD Police Chief Jeff Godown and Commissioner Petra DeJesus are expected to be in attendance.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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February 25, 2011 at 9:11 pm
I kept thinking about what Robert said, as he announced he was through commenting on FCJ. It is difficult to find words for the way we now sleep walk through so much of our own state sponsored slaughter, war without end, amen. I went to the Police Commission hearing and said I saw tasers as another decision escalating the culture of violence, force, electronic surveillance and weaponry that we impose on the part of the world I pay most attention to, East/Central Africa.
I know we have to fight the tasers here, but at the same time I couldn’t help being conscious that next to no one but Cindy Sheehan, Tom Hayden, Cynthia McKinney and a few other outsiders talk about the war, perpetual war, anymore. It is what is. Opposing taser use here makes more sense to me than asking Obama to end the War on Terrorr, but I do wish more people were connecting the dots.
The Western regional rep of Amnesty International was there saying that they equate tasers and torture.
February 24, 2011 at 7:39 pm
@Robert: The culture of violence that we impose overseas is strengthened and/or weakened in local pubic forums like that at this week’s Police Commission hearing.
February 23, 2011 at 5:22 pm
What are you talking about?
Not wanting to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to give the police tasers in a budget deficit does not detract from being opposed to large scale military operations. I don’t even understand how you view people opposing tasers as tokenism. The two things are barely even related.
Through your logic, next time I see you, I should say ‘hey bruce… why do you participate in these dinky little Democratic clubs in SF? You should only focus on how crappy the national democratic party is. Your insignificant masturbation at the local level is detracting from more important issues.’
Also, I would also rather be tasered than shot by a bullet. However, 95% of people who are tased don’t even have a weapon.
February 22, 2011 at 7:52 pm
I rather be tasered than shot by a bullet. A bullet is just so final.
February 22, 2011 at 6:04 pm
It’s reassuring that San Franciscans may be spared tasers, even as bombs keep on dropping elsewhere.
Tokens. Identity issues.
Americans do not look back at their roadkill.
Little protests like this one are tailored to make people feel good about themselves.
Pond politics.
I’m done commenting here.
Bye.