Police chiefs to issue Taser safety guidelines

A police chiefs association plans to issue recommendations for the use of Taser International Inc.'s stun guns in response to questions surrounding the weapons' safety. The International Association of Chiefs of Police is also asking local police departments to review their own safety guidelines regarding the use of Tasers. "We don't have a problem with the use of Tasers, we just want it done as safely as possible," Wendy Balazik, a spokeswoman for the group, said Wednesday. Balazik said the voluntary guidelines would be issued within 10 days. Police departments would be free to adopt the guidelines, modify them or set them aside. The National Institute of Justice, an arm of the Department of Justice, gave the police group a $40,000 grant to help produce the stun gun guidelines. [more]