Once again police officer use of a Taser is in the news, this time on a student at UCLA. Michelle Malkin has the run down and the video, and a witness description of what happpened.

As former law enforcement I watched the video and it’s clear that the individual failed to follow the commands of the officers present. Use of a taser has replaced the baton as a compliance tool (this subject should be VERY grateful for that).

Note that the individual continues to rant after the first tasing, showing that there is in fact no harm done by it’s use. With his ranting, “Here’s your Patriot Act, here’s your … abuse of power.”, I wonder if this individual wasn’t literally “asking for it”, as in maybe “staged”. Time will tell. But the individual could have simply obeyed the commands the officer were giving him and avoided this situation.

Each law enforcement agency has their own criterion for the use of non-leathal compliance and LA PD has one of the nation’s most “liberal”. The point is when a sworn law enforcement officer gives you a lawful command – such as was the case here – you do not have a choice whether or not you obey it. In such cases when you do you will be “compelled” to obey.

Sounds harsh, but remember far more law enforcement officers are killed on a yearly basis than suspects tasered. There is a reason they do not play around. Saying all of that, this account in the Daily Bruin, covers it as well and I am concerned with the subject being tasered after being handcuffed. Tasers are a compliance tool but normally are not used after the subject has been cuffed. At that point, more physical restraints could have been brought in (one good one is the “hog tie”) and thus carried out.

Again, I’m not going to second guess the actions of these officers, neither should anyone else. The fact is that there will be an internal review and if they didn’t follow procedures they will be dealt with. The thing I will be looking for is if more “agenda” comes from this individual in the days and weeks to come. He’ll no doubt be on Keith Olbermann or some other “Cop-Bashing” cable show over the weekend.