Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Monday, April 11, 2016

Baltimore police use of Tasers in poor, black neighborhoods questioned

Baltimore police officers exceeded widely accepted safety limits for Tasers more than any other force in Maryland, and in nearly all cases fired the weapon at suspects who were not complying with police orders but did not pose a threat.

Most of the suspects hit by Tasers in Baltimore were black, according to data obtained and analyzed by The Baltimore Sun, and more than two-thirds of the incidents from 2012 to 2014 took place in ZIP codes with the city's lowest median incomes.

The trends concern the city's top cop.

"Who suffers the most when police departments have deficient policies and procedures? Minorities and poorer communities suffer," Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said in response to The Sun's findings.

Davis has begun reorganizing the department and implementing new policies aimed at reforming its practices, including how officers use Tasers. His efforts come as the Justice Department continues a yearlong investigation into whether Baltimore officers violate federal civil rights laws when using force on residents, ranging from deadly force to Tasers and pepper spray.

Civil rights leaders and attorneys contend that more needs to be done. They say that residents increasingly complain about police abuse of Tasers and that the data shows that officers treat residents differently, depending on where they live and the color of their skin. Tessa Hill-Aston, president of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP, called The Sun's findings "troubling."

More

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't like the use of tasers, either. They ought to be using their service pistols!

Anonymous said...

Joe / Veiwers
Trumps campaign will be opening a campaign office for volunteers at 229E main st Salisbury this Wednesday 13 th april at 430 to 6 pm.

Anonymous said...

Awe!!! You can't shoot or taze. How about they not commit crimes? ?? Or fight, run,and shoot at cops??? If it wasn't for Obama, holder,and the rest of the black panther administration. The blacks wouldn't be so brazen to pull this crapp in the first place! !!!

Anonymous said...

Poor,black communities suffer more from a lack of police presence than from too much force.

Anonymous said...

Let's back up a bit . Who has the most crime ? Answer is : the low income black neighborhoods in all cities , not just Baltimore .
They use don't use life threating force and the hoodies know it. Let's just change our entire way of providing safety to accommodate
these thugs and criminals.

Anonymous said...

Tessa , get a real life!

Anonymous said...

Statistically, isn't that where they are most needed?

Anonymous said...

Don't shoot them, don't use a taser. I guess the police should just shake their finger at them from now on.

Anonymous said...

There's a reason tasers aren't used in the rich white neighborhoods.

Can anybody guess?

Anonymous said...

Let me ask a question about protocol.

What is a LEO supposed to do when a defiant and potentially dangerous individual repeatedly refuses a lawful request? Are we saying they must engage physically?

Anonymous said...

THEY are tithe ones that complain of police presence they can't have it BOTH WAYS.

Anonymous said...

Thugs lives don't matter.

Anonymous said...

Don't mouth off, or disrespect the cops, or do it, and get tazed. Kind of easy to do, but very hard for some I guess.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Tessa , get a real life!

April 11, 2016 at 7:51 AM

Who is Tessa? I just came here for the comments. Where's the pop corn?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

Don't shoot them, don't use a taser. I guess the police should just shake their finger at them from now on.

April 11, 2016 at 8:25 AM

That's what the Blacks and Libtards want. They are teaching staff and administration not to send blacks to the office, not to report crimes committed by blacks because to many crimes are being reported and it makes the black community look bad so if you don't report it, it looks like it did not happen. Right Mark Thompson!

Just like what happened in the attempted rape case at Bennett High School. They didn't want to report it because they have been trained not to.

Anonymous said...

This article makes it sound like the cops were tasing the little black thugs because they were doing it for fun. No you ignorant morons they were tasing the baby thugs because they were committing, crimes, running from cops, refusing to listen to lawful commands.

The job of the NAACP is to stir of more and more crap to incite white guilt so that the blacks can take over our country and it is happening. The blacks are attacking whites by the numbers in the knock out game. They are attacking whites in jail trying to make them scared of blacks. They are taking over this country and you softies are letting it happen. Take guns away from law abiding white citizens and we can't fight back.

Two black thugs Parkside High School attacked a young boy from Easton at the movies last week and put him in ICU. They nearly killed the boy and nothing happened to the thugs. They are in school today. Yes it was a black on white knock out game at the Salisbury Mall. And you idiots wonder why no body goes to the mall anymore. You wonder why people are getting out of the city in droves, but your boi mare Jake Day is telling the people just the opposite?? Keep voting for a Democrat you damn idiots!

Anonymous said...

No tazers,? give pizza, ask SPD police chief Duncan for ingredients?

Anonymous said...

If that was my son tutututut I would be in prison.

Anonymous said...

White America time to stand up.

Anonymous said...

AND all the while, the Hispanic/Asian communities sit/wait thinking..."the enemy (blacks) of my enemy (whites) is my friend."

Now that's a true scary thought to chew on!!

Yikes!

Anonymous said...

Stock up folks.

Anonymous said...

9:13 That's the absolute truth.

Anonymous said...

Racism? ....nope.
"White privilege"? ...no such thing.
Lack of taserable behavior? YEP!!

Anonymous said...

I got some large hole hollowpoint ammo. I filled the hole with liquid mercury, and boy you should see the wound cavity this stuff makes. Can't wait till this summers "Race Riots".