The Merced (CA) Internal Affairs division is investigating a report that a Merced police officer twice used a Taser on a double-leg amputee in a wheelchair. The man, who is missing both legs, was carrying no weapons.

A new report co-authored by Rice political scientists Mark Jones and William Reed with colleagues at the University of Houston finds patterns and/or aberrations in the use of Tasers related to ethnicity, gender, race and geography.

The Canadian province of British Colombia says it will launch a public investigation into the killing of a Polish immigrant shot by a Taser stun gun at Vancouver's airport.

Tasers, or stun guns, are meant to be a substitute for lethal force. Every police force in Australia at the moment is either conducting trials of taser guns or already using them officially. But an incident in Canada has again raised questions about their safety.

A nationwide study examining the safety of Tasers® used by law enforcement agencies suggests the devices are safe, causing a low occurrence of serious injuries.

Using a Taser to control agitated suspects in police custody is standard operating procedure for many law enforcement agencies. In some circles, however, the idea that using a Taser could lead to a suspect's death has caused controversy.