posted by on May 21
The history of the stun gun is not a single birth but a series of developments. Electric cattle prods have been used since the 1940s to motivate cattle to go where the rancher wants them to go. During the same period, there were a couple of patents taken out on stunning devices designed for helping in patrolmen’s arrests of suspects and in crowd control. It’s unclear if any of these devices were manufactured in this time frame as described.
There is an occasional news report of a law enforcement officer causing a captive’s death by using a stun gun. Investigation usually turns up that inappropriate beatings and attacks against the inmate much more likely to be the cause of death. Police who use these devices are usually trying to subdue out of control individuals who are frequently on high stimulant drugs. These individuals may go quite berserk when facing apprehension and restraint. If that person suffers a cardiac arrest, did the stun gun really cause it or was it one of several participating factors?
Stun guns have gotten more powerful in recent years. Indeed, marketers are advertising voltages up to one million volts and beyond. Take these readings with a grain of salt especially if these new models use the same battery power as lower powered ones. Besides, stun guns are a non-lethal crime deterrent and they should stay that way.