HeHateY

(Things to keep in mind before booking your trip via LAX... )

LAX officials said Thursday that an airport police sergeant was justified in shocking an elderly man with a Taser last weekend because the man was combative, made threats and resisted officers' attempts to subdue him using less drastic means.

But Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss, a vocal critic of the airport police department, claims the episode exposes a lack of civilian oversight of the LAX force. Top airport officials, he said, weren't aware of the incident details on Thursday, five days after it occurred.

(snip)

A sergeant applied the Taser after warning the man he would be shocked and after the man ignored verbal attempts to calm him and restrain him. Police held the man to prevent him from falling to the ground and then called paramedics, who transported him to a hospital.

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Lancaster resident was released to a relative. Police intend to pursue misdemeanor criminal charges against him for disturbing the peace and resisting an officer.

(snip)

Weiss said he did not know enough about the incident to comment on whether he thought the use of force was justified. But he said he was disturbed that the civilians who run the airport told him Thursday they weren't familiar with the details of what happened.

"We frankly have precious little in civilian oversight of use of force and that's not acceptable," Weiss said. "That's not consistent with the best practices at modern police departments."

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/articles/1292096.html

mizzou65201

I can understand the rationale with wanting to move LAWA PD into LAPD...but it's not like LAPD is a paragon of virtue either...

Dovster

It is possible that LAX cops need a Taser to restrain a 78-year-old man, but if that is the case "LAX' is not only the call sign for the airport but is also an apt description of their physical fitness program.

I wonder what would have happened had this man died of a heart attack as a result of being shocked. Would these officers have been charged with homicide?

Cholula

Probably not. Armed to the teeth and probably half the 78 year-old's age, the LAX cops would have claimed self-defense and that they felt their lives were in mortal danger.
Just my opinion, however.....

robodeer

would it have been controversial if they physically restrained him? (similar to the instance with the pregnant woman)

Dovster

It may have been controversial but not necessarily wrong. Any person is capable of hurting others if not stopped. The amount of force used by police has to be in relation to the danger facing them -- and shocking a man of that age with a Taser is very far out of proportion.

robodeer

how much more disadvantageous is a taser compared with a less extreme physical "shock" of being taken down by a couple of cops?

is it just on a different level or is it proportional?

Cholula

IMO, a pair of well placed handcuffs would probably have sufficed in this instance.
I obviously wasn't at the scene and didn't witness the goings-on but it's hard to believe that circumstances surrounding the take-down of a 78 year old man required overwhelming force.

AgtMulder

Agreed with the portion stating that the reaction must be equal to the level of threat.

Although I never served as a police officer, I can tell you from my experience as an EMT that age is no indicator of threat.

An agitated, angry, drugged or (more commonly) experiencing a psychiatric emergency elderly or young person can be some of the most dangerous folks you will come in contact with. They can fight with some of the most amazing energy, and will not stop even when subdued.

In fact, I once nearly had my hand broken by a 90+ year old woman.... in restraints.

Appearances can be deceiving.