Recently, there has been yet another increase in complaints about officers misusing the TASER while in RP with a suspect. This has lead to me removing the TASER from the HPD’s arsenal on a temporary basis, and has sparked some discussion which has lead to the writing of this post.
TASERs are to be treated as a firearm as far as role play is concerned. This is to mean that you are not permitted to draw and fire the TASER in one post. There are to be a minimum of two posts when a TASER is used. The first post can be drawing and aiming, and the second post can be firing. Also, keep in mind that the TASER is not necessarily a 100% effective tool. A suspects clothes, the distance from the officer, their speed, and a simple dodge make the TASER fail on a regular basis. The TASER becomes essentially useless at any distance beyond around 10 feet or so. If one barb hits a pocket containing a wallet, the entire thing becomes useless.
TASERs are also ridiculously expensive to use IRL and in RP they frequently kill the scene. They are only to be used as a last resort, because if they hit, you are bringing the scene to a grinding halt. Too frequently, they’re used as an “I win” button by officers. It is okay to lose! Suspects can get away! This is perfectly acceptable and is encouraged. If officers win every fight, the RP becomes very one sided and uninteresting. Who the heck wants to watch the Patriots go up against some pee-wee football league? Everyone needs to begin concentrating on other tools or hand-to-hand fighting. If this continues to be a problem, we may have to permanently remove the TASER from the HPD’s arsenal, and no one wants to see that happen.