get off it , just bunch a country hicks who are so bush oriented on marshal law , marshal law...marshal law!!! it's already here...to some as they practice and justify with militia this , militia that even when their friends in high places have used their position of power by looking the other way in the thin blue line .

Commenting about Jared Massey and Officer Gardiner: Gardiner was "taser happy". He should have communicated the results of refusing to sign the ticket. He is a power hungry cop, and should have been fired. I no longer trust our UHP. As I drive on the highway, I watch for Gardiner's police car, wondering who he is tasering today! The whole incident of Jared being tasered was covered up by the UHP. They lack honesty. Officer Gardiner obviously knows he used the taser wrongly, because he lied to the other two cops, telling them a whole different story. To top it all off, the 3 officers thought it was rather funny! They are sickening, and I hope other UHP are not so excited to see pain inflicted on Utah citizens. It would be interesting to have accurate research of the use of tasers!

" Anonymous | 8:18 a.m. July 20, 2008
The taser is making cops lazy. Rather than negotiate or restrain someone, they can just shock them"

Who cares. Cops are supposed to uphold the law, and as such, they should just do whatever they have to do, to make the situation go away as fast as possible.

Use the taser. If YOU don't want to be a victim, then obey the laws, and don't run from a police officer if you haven't done anything wrong.

Hit with the taser. I prefer to get the officer back on the road, to go deal with the next problem, than have him "negotiate, or fight to restrain them"

Quit being so concerned about lawbreakers, and pay attention to all the damage and costs that they bring upon our society. They are criminals, and they should be treated as such.

This is going to be a play toy for the law. Does it work, yes. Is it a need, no. Would the law pull out their gun in most times and use it, no. there is other ways, and the taser is not the way. To the law it going to be a new toy and use when there is no need.

I keep seeing these comments to walk in the cops shoes before placing judgement. No need. That's not how it works.
And yes officer from the north your job description did say you might get hurt by a drunk.
We've all seen the videos on the news and you-tube of Taser misuse. I can see the value of the tool. The best thing to do would be to hire police officers that were well trained and respect citizens.

Are you kidding me? Cops get re-tasered for each suspect that they taser? In what world does that make sense? Let's punish the people that risk their lives EVERY day for keeping us and themselves safe.

For everyone saying that cops are "taser happy", I'd like to ask them one thing...if not the taser, then what is YOUR suggestion? They (cops) can use their guns, nightsticks, jump the person and physically wrestle them...anything else? Not every cop is a master negotiator, and more often than not the person is NOT going to be convinced to come peacefully.

Someone may have broken a law that doesn't make them a bad gusy deserving of being tased.

remember laws are just laws.

we are talking about people, something more important than laws.

We are not here for the laws, the laws are here for us. laws are not end all and be all of everything.

It's scary you are willing to give so much indiscriminent power to the police.

The police should not have any more power than what is necessary to carrry out their duties.

They don't need any more power than what is necesssary to protect the public and their own lives.

Most tasings seem not have anything to do with either. But just a shortcut to quickly solve problems.

I am a Police Officer and reading some of these comments really disappoints me about the sad state that our society is in.
The reason counties/cities pay out thousands of dollars to "settle" these TASER cases is because they realize that there is no way they can get a jury pool of "reasonable" people which is what is required in a civil trial. It's not suppose to be monday morning quarterbacking from someone who is pissed off that they got a ticket, it's suppose to be what a resonable person would do AT THAT TIME faced with the same situation/information. There is no way any Cop can get a fair shake.
For those of you who have never walked a beat, I'll tell you what the most dangerous thing is for a police officer, it's HANDS! That's right, you can cry for Massey if you want, but for every "questionable" TASER video you've seen, I've seen twice as many videos where a non compliant subject(not combative) whose hands are not visible pulls out a gun/knife and injuries/kills a cop.

For all those who are still nay sayers, I ask you to try one small exercise for me before you question an officer's judgement in a situation you've never been in.
Take two toy guns from your kid's toy box, tuck one in your pants pocket and give the other to a friend. Have him place it on his dash, between the seats of his vehicle or even in his front waist band. Stand at the rear bumper of his vehicle with his door open. Have him walk towards his door dispite you telling him to stop. then have him grab that toy gun and turn around and yell bang. all you have to do is simply wait till you SEE his gun, then draw your gun and shoot. I am 100% sure unless you draw your gun early, you will never win. The reason, is because Action is faster then ReAction! Almost a full second faster.. And that is why law enforcemnt officers today are more aggresive then in the days of Mayberry.
Now be happy these were just toys guns and you can still see your kids, because many cops don't get that chance.

Stop complaining about the fascist control grid -it saves lives! Even if 1 life is saved it is well worth it. History shows the key to a safe and free society is as many supremely armed officers as possible. Dehumanizing, ubiquitously abused electo-torture devices are non lethal, that what I call a win/win.

How dare any of you question our brave officers?! Cops keep you safe fools! Without them we would be overrun by all the dangerous terrorist that our American neighbors are... Complete helplessness and dependence on unquestionable authority is the core of the American ideal. That an handing out fines, rather than solving crimes.

The American way is to shoot first and ask questions later. That Massey guy was incredibly menacing... During that 2 seconds of shocked [,disgusted] confusion on his face, after the officer unholstered his taser, he could have been planing to draw an illegal handgun! -Or worse yet, plotting a terror attack... Every one of our brave officers is a hero, that's why they have to taze indiscriminately. Unbridled cowardice?! How dare you �you should be tased for that!

Listen to your TVs, terrorists and crazies are everywhere! Only the authorities can save you!

Simple elementary verbal skills by the trooper could have prevented the Gardner/Massey fiasco , just as common curtosy could have prevented the Casey vs Federal Heights mess . Now we will get to see the results of 10 lawsuits in Orlando to find where the Police Department came up short there . Perhaps the Academys should spend more time teaching people skills and less time on "I AM A TOUGH GUY" classes .