Friday July 17, 2009, 3:19 pm
""It was the longest five seconds of my life," Sgt. Carl Rust.

They say the pain can only be described as unbearable, and officers at the Amsterdam Police Department experienced it first-hand as they train to use the device in the field.

"It's a very effective tool. I think it'll make the City of Amsterdam much safer," said Rust.

Officers will now carry tasers when they're on patrol. The department added the device to hopefully minimize any physical contact between officers and their attacker. The tasers have dart-like projectiles that embed in the skin and produce an electrical shock that paralyzes the body for five seconds.

"It's a very low amperage tool used to incapacitate an individual so we can safely handcuff him or her and then bring them to the station," said Rust."

Read more..see video at site..

Friday July 17, 2009, 4:11 pm
Oh for a minute i thought Amsterdam here in the Netherlands lol.I thought,how in the world would she know something that happens in my own country before me ?
I also heard it can cause cardiac arrest

Friday July 17, 2009, 4:53 pm
I wish that they'd get rid of these for good. They have killed people! A tranquilizer gun would be better.

Friday July 17, 2009, 5:00 pm
Oh that's funny Claudia..Nope..not your Amsterdam..

If someone has a bad heart..I am sure it could..but in itself..no..tasers do not cause that..

It is a good thing this department is getting them in..Crime is extremely high there..I hope they do not get rid of them..they have saved many lives..

Friday July 17, 2009, 6:35 pm
I wish they would get rid of those things entirely. They have cause death and have been misused by the police frequently.

Saturday July 18, 2009, 12:23 am
Claudia, I had the same reaction! Thought it was in the Netherlands! (Forgot for a minute that New York was settled by the Dutch first, hee, hee)
Dee, I am a little sceptical and hope the police have had proper training in using these weapons. No weapon is totally innocuous, and Frances does have a good point.

Saturday July 18, 2009, 1:48 am
Sadly and most unfairly..is that we don't read or note the stories that show all the the lives that are saved..or how it has made a very bad situation..much calmer and safer..for ALL..And there are many of those instances..

What is shown..especially here in the Care2 news.. are the negative news..and in all honesty..most of those stories do not show or speak of all the details..they are extremely biased and incomplete..and pretty misleading..

I absolutely agree there are a few who do misuse them..But I assure you that every LE that is given a Taser..has not only gone through training for them..but they themselves must be tased..as part of that training..

This world is getting worse and worse with crime..and not only just crime..but very serious situations..And LE..though they are there to protect and serve..should also be able to protect themselves as well..

We don't send people off to a war without the proper protection..well.. LE should not be out there fighting crime..without the necessary protection..People are going crazy..shooting police officers..attacking them..disregarding them..

Tasers are a very safe way to take control in a heightened serious situation..And those in LE that tend to abuse them..they are reprimanded..investigated..and even suspended at times..

And the same ones that would abuse the use of a taser..sadly will abuser whatever means they have at hand..So the problem is not with Tasers..but rather with those that should not be in LE..period..

Saturday July 18, 2009, 3:21 am
Thanks Dee. I am reassured. Of course the law enforcement officers should be able to protect themselves. But there has been such a big debate about using these tasers, and you're so right, we have not always been given both sides of the coin (but then, do the medias ever promote the good side of them? ... might not sell papers or viewer time, hey? :( .Maybe we should look for this kind of positive story and put it up to balance things out a bit. Shame on me, I should have thought about that.

Saturday July 18, 2009, 12:29 pm
I don't trust police here in the UK and they are being trained for this. Some areas have refused and that's good. They are out of control here, killing demonstrators and getting away scot-free. I just don't trust them to have anything like this.