[Cprb] Fwd: Taser strategy and Champaign City Council

[J. Wason]

FYI.  Sorry for any duplication.  At least there's no file attachment
containing a virus in this e-mail.  :-)

John


>From: "Kranich, Kimberlie" <Kranich at WILL.uiuc.edu>
>Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 12:51:51 -0600 
>Subject: [Imc] Taser strategy and Champaign City Council
>
>
>Hi, all.
>
>I just came from an organizing meeting at the Urban League around the issue
>of Tasers. Mort and Mike from AWARE and I met with some great African
>American leaders and other great folks to determine a game plan to approach
>Champaign City Council members and to organize a community meeting.
>
>It is crucial that you send a letter or make a phone call to Champaign City
>Council members today. They have already been hearing from people IN SUPPORT
>of Tasers. I committed myself to getting 25 people to write a letter.
>Please let me know if you do so I can realize my commitment :-)
>
>These are some of the talking points the group agreed might resonate with
>Council. 
>
>Many of them are questions for Council to ask City Manager Steve Carter.
>Mr. Carter is is trying to ram this through, and has provided Council with
>NO information whatsoever about Tasers.  Our job as constituents is to help
>City Council do their job better and to demand accountability from the City
>Manager for his proposal to arm ALL officers with Tasers.  Mr. Carter has
>tried to keep this issue out of the public's eye. 
>
>Talking Points in letters to Champaign City Council:
>
>	SHOW ME THE STATISTICS
>
>	What is the justification for the purchase of Taser's by the
>Champaign police?  Where is the need and where are the numbers/ statistics
>to support this need? Are officers and/or arrestee's getting injured?  Are
>arrestees being combative or resisting arrest? Show me the numbers!
>
>	A study by Joel Garner, from the Joint Centers for Justice Studies,
>and Christopher Maxwell, Michigan State University, examined the amount of
>force used by and against law enforcement officers in 7,512 arrests in
>Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC), Colorado Springs, Dallas, St. Petersburg, and
>San Diego.  The study found that in 98% of instances, officers used no
>weapons when making arrests. I.E. Arrestees were non-combative nearly 98% of
>the time.  How does this compare to Champaign and if we have similar
>statistics, why are Tasers needed?
>
>	SHOW ME YOUR PROPOSED POLICIES FOR USE
>
>	If it can be proven that Tasers are justified, what are the
>"proposed" polices for their use? Who will they be used on?  Juveniles,
>pregnant women, the elderly, people with heart conditions?  Under what
>circumstances will they be used?  If Council isn't presented with a plan,
>then they should vote NO.
>
>
>WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS OF USING TASERS ON PEOPLE?
>
>	Forty people have already died as a result of being shot with
>Tasers, yet this is supposed to be a "non lethal" weapon. 
>
>	What are the dangers of sending a 50,000 watt voltage dart into a
>person with a heart condition or epilepsy?
>
>	BETTER THAN A BULLET?
>
>	It has been said that it is better to be shot with a Taser than a
>bullet, but that's comparing apples to oranges. Tasers better belong in the
>category along with mace.  So, how often do officers use mace?  What are the
>statistics? Is mace ineffective?
>
>	OTHER ARGUMENTS/QUESTIONS
>
>Will citizens be allowed to purchase Tasers or just police?
>
>Chicago police don't have Tasers, why does Champaign need them?
>
>	Please write a letter to Champaign City Council or call. And when
>you do, let me know so I can keep a count. 
>
>	THANK YOU!  
>
>	Kimberlie  (p.s. a town meeting on Tasers has been set for 7pm,
>Monday, March 15. Location tba)
>
>
>Here are those addresses again:
>
>J.W. Pirtle
>Deputy Mayor-District 1
>1205 Carver Dr.
>Champaign, IL 61820
>H: 217/356-5500
>
>Michael La Due
>Council Member-District 2
>1005 S. Sixth St., Apt. #28
>Champaign, IL 61820 
>H: 217/367-5536
>
>Vic McIntosh
>Council Member-District 3
>501 Clearwater
>Champaign, IL 61822 H: 217/352-0194
>E: VicMcIntosh at ci.champaign.il.us 2005
> 
>Jim Green
>Council Member-District 4
>2206 Plymouth Dr.
>Champaign, IL 61821 
>H: 217/355-1232
>O: 217/367-2500
>E: JimGreen at ci.champaign.il.us 2005
> 
>Ken Pirok
>Council Member-District 5
>2203 Southmoor Drive
>Champaign, IL 61821  H: 217/398-4258
>O: 217/398-4258
>E: KenPirok at ci.champaign.il.us  2005
> 
>Thomas Bruno
>Council Member-At Large
>1109 W. Park Ave.
>Champaign, IL 61821 
>H: 217/398-2191
>O: 217/328-6000
>E: TomBruno at ci.champaign.il.us 2007
> 
>Kathy Ennen
>Council Member-At Large
>2711 Sangamon Dr.
>Champaign, IL 61821 
>H: 217/351-6164
>
>Giraldo Rosales
>Council Member-At Large
>102 N. Neil St.
>Champaign, IL 61820  
>grosales at uiuc.edu <grosales at uiuc.edu>
>