Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MARCH 2016 9 I n North Carolina, new legislation will make law enforcement offi- cers think twice before using their Tasers. Just recently, the 4th Cir- cuit Court of Appeals ruled to restrict law enforcement’s use of Tasers. The new rules are simple. The court ruled officers are not allowed to use their Tas- ers unless someone is creat- ing “an immediate safety risk.” That means Taser use is now out of policy when it comes to dealing with sub- jects resisting arrest. Should an officer decide to use his or her Taser, that officer must articulate “im- mediate danger,” in report- ing the use of force. In Wake County, North Carolina only about a third of Sheriff’s Deputies are equipped with Tasers. And Sheriff Donnie Harri- son says the new restrictions are a step backward. “If you look at this policy, if the person being taken into custody is not a danger but will not comply, my con- cern is we’re going to have to go hands on. That has the chance to cause a lot more injuries to both suspects and our officers,” Harrison told reporters with WNCN News. The new rules are the result of a lawsuit. That suit was filed in 2011 against the Pinehurst Police Department after a mentally ill man died in 2011 after officers tased him in an at- tempt to get him to let go of a stop sign post. The court ruled the pain caused by a Taser is an excessive use of force that violated the person’s consti- tutional rights under the 4th Amendment. As is frequently the case, police say one bad incident is not a good reason to make sweeping changes. “Any officer will tell you the last thing they want to do is use any type of lethal force,” said Lt. Jeff Gordon of the North Carolina High- way Patrol. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time where those instruments and tools are used, they’re used ap- propriately.” But a lot of the law en- forcement agencies WNCN spoke with say they are unsure if the new ruling will affect how they use Tasers. Officials did say they would work to make sure their Taser policies comply with the new ruling, how- ever. ECD use restrictions are the result of lawsuit Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. – John F. Kennedy 8-bay Charging Dock The Prima Facie® body worn camera collects full motion video while combining even more advanced features; high resolution digital stills greatly enhance the documentation of crime scenes, and audio-only recording is convenient for interviews or collecting witness statements. The automatic IR illuminators allow action to be seen in total darkness, and the 2 inch LCD screen allows recorded media to be instantly reviewed. The unique two-way radio interface allows the Prima Facie to replace existing chest mounted microphones, reducing weight and bulk. Prima Facie provides all of these features without the use of constricting multi-year contracts, giving you the freedom to decide your agency’s own data management plan. Copyright © 2016 Safety Vision, LLC All Rights Reserved. Find out more today! www.safetyvision.com 800.849.9621