Experts Analyze Stun Gun Debate

February 14, 2005

News Release

Arlington, VA –On February 23-24, 2005, experts from medical, law enforcement, policy, academia, and industry discussed the latest issues associated with stun guns. Currently, over 100,000 law enforcement personnel use stun devices which are designed to temporarily incapacitate non-compliant individuals, while minimizing harm. The forum was sponsored by the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and Aegis Industries, Inc. “The Potomac Institute brought together some of the best minds in the nation to discuss this issue,” said Dr. Dennis McBride, President of the Potomac Institute. “The scientific approach used by these experts will provide a sound perspective on both the extensive benefits, and potential risks of this technology.”

Field use experience supplied by military and law enforcement experts at the forum cited the inherent benefits provided by use of stun devices, which frequently diffuse dangerous situations. “The rise in the application of electric stun technology and other non-lethal weapons in the law enforcement and military arenas represents an important and positive shift in peace-keeping philosophies,” stated Ken Stethem, CEO of Aegis Industries, Inc. He added, “However, these benefits are dependent on thorough and accurate testing, development, and training.”

Medical experts who attended the forum suggested that more clinical data collection following stunning would help fill the gaps of information left open by animal studies. After approximately 100,000 uses of stun devices, there have been roughly 90 reports of death following stunning. Dr. Marom Bikson, who studies the effects of electricity on the human body at the City College of New York, stated, “We don’t know if the stunning caused, or was completely unrelated to those deaths. Current data from animal studies related to stun device use provides limited insight into product safety and efficacy.” Medical experts recommended the optimization of electrical waveforms used in the technologies, developing protocols to evaluate potential health hazards, and expanding current research on electrical current pathways through the human body.

Other reforms suggested by industry, health policy, law enforcement, and academic experts included:

• Creating an independent database of the technical characteristics, performance, and effects of current and emerging stun device technologies.
• Developing a national data repository for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of stun device operational usage and results, led by the Departments of Justice (DoJ), with support from the Departments of Defense (DoD) and Homeland Security (DHS).
• Establishing an industry trade organization that would promote uniform manufacturing and quality standards for stun devices.
• Developing model policies and protocols for training, tactics, and employment of stun devices.
• Developing a common language used by the industry, public, and users of stun devices.

A complete Potomac Institute report on this important topic will be released within sixty days.