TASER International
Encyclopedia
Taser International, Inc. is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of the Taser
less-lethal electroshock gun
s in the United States
. It is based at Scottsdale, Arizona
, United States
. Taser is the most common brand of electroshock gun.
.
Taser takes its name after a fictional weapon: Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle
.
In June 1994, a non-firearm
version of the Taser was developed, allowing it to bypass federal and state laws that only apply to firearms, and a tracking system (the "anti-felon identification" or "AFID" system) was created. This enables the Taser to disperse confetti
with serial number
s when it is fired and links the specific Taser to the scene where it is used.
In 1998, the company adopted its current name, intending to emphasize the company's international expansion. In the same year, the company began marketing the weapon to law enforcement agencies
and police departments, in addition to the private buyers who had bought Tasers for personal self-protection in prior years.
In 2001, Taser International developed its "Advanced Taser Electro-Muscular Disruption" system. In May 2001, they filed for an initial public offering
and began trading NASDAQ
under the stock symbol TASR. In May 2003, the company released its new Taser X26 model.
However, on June 6, 2008, the company lost its first product-liability suit.
In late January 2008, the public safety committee of the current
Canadian House of Commons
launched an investigation into their use, after the death of Robert Dziekanski. The British Columbia government's Braidwood Inquiry
is also currently underway.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has recently conducted a test, and found that TASER X26 Stun Guns manufactured before 2005 have a faulty fail-safe system.
and sexting
while protecting their child's privacy with their TrustShield technology. Based on the information on their website, TrustShield allows parents and children to agree on what level of privacy will be enforced and then is clearly communicated by all parties, including the child. Although monitoring of a minors activities is legal in almost all states for children under the age of 18, critics of child monitoring and spyware technologies designed to be installed without the child's knowledge say that it invades a child's privacy and freedom. Protector is due to ship in the summer of 2010.
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
less-lethal electroshock gun
Electroshock gun
An electroshock weapon is an incapacitant weapon used for incapacitating a person by administering electric shock aimed at disrupting superficial muscle functions. One type is a conductive energy device , an electroshock gun popularly known by the brand name "Taser", which fires projectiles that...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is based at Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Taser is the most common brand of electroshock gun.
History
The company was founded in 1991 (under the name Air Taser) by brothers Rick and Tom Smith. The Smiths were upset when two of Rick's former teammates in high school were murdered in a road rage incident in a resort parking lot in Scottsdale. In 1993, they began working with Jack Cover on a non-lethal weapon; eventually Cover first developed an early version of the TaserTaser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
.
Taser takes its name after a fictional weapon: Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle
Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle
Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land is a young adult novel written by Victor Appleton. It is Volume 10 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.- Plot :...
.
In June 1994, a non-firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
version of the Taser was developed, allowing it to bypass federal and state laws that only apply to firearms, and a tracking system (the "anti-felon identification" or "AFID" system) was created. This enables the Taser to disperse confetti
Confetti
Confetti is a multitude of pieces of paper, mylar or metallic material which is usually thrown at parades and celebrations, especially weddings . Confetti is made in a variety of colors, and commercially available confetti is available in imaginative shapes...
with serial number
Serial number
A serial number is a unique number assigned for identification which varies from its successor or predecessor by a fixed discrete integer value...
s when it is fired and links the specific Taser to the scene where it is used.
In 1998, the company adopted its current name, intending to emphasize the company's international expansion. In the same year, the company began marketing the weapon to law enforcement agencies
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
and police departments, in addition to the private buyers who had bought Tasers for personal self-protection in prior years.
In 2001, Taser International developed its "Advanced Taser Electro-Muscular Disruption" system. In May 2001, they filed for an initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
and began trading NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
under the stock symbol TASR. In May 2003, the company released its new Taser X26 model.
Issues
According to Taser International, the company has not lost any product liability lawsuits:However, on June 6, 2008, the company lost its first product-liability suit.
In late January 2008, the public safety committee of the current
39th Canadian Parliament
The 39th Canadian Parliament was in session from April 3, 2006 until September 7, 2008. The membership was set by the 2006 federal election on January 23, 2006, and it has changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections...
Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
launched an investigation into their use, after the death of Robert Dziekanski. The British Columbia government's Braidwood Inquiry
Braidwood Inquiry
The Braidwood Inquiry was a public inquiry conducted in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, examining the safety of Tasers and the death of Robert Dziekanski. The two-stage inquiry is being conducted by retired Court of Appeal of British Columbia and Court of Appeal of the Yukon Territory Justice...
is also currently underway.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has recently conducted a test, and found that TASER X26 Stun Guns manufactured before 2005 have a faulty fail-safe system.
Taser
Taser's namesake product is a handheld electroshock weapon designed to incapacitate a single person from a distance.XREP
XREP (EXtended Range Electro-Muscular Projectile) is a wireless Taser round that can be fired from a 12 gauge shotgun.Protector
Protector is a monthly service that helps parents monitor cell-phone use of children and young adults. Protector gives tools to parents to help protect their children against dangerous behaviors such as texting while drivingTexting while driving
Texting while driving is the act of composing, sending, reading text messages, email, or making other similar use of the web on a mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle. The practice has been viewed by many people and authorities as dangerous. It has also been ruled as the cause of some motor...
and sexting
Sexting
Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs, primarily between mobile phones. The term was first popularized in early 21st century, and is a portmanteau of sex and texting, where the latter is meant in the wide sense of sending a text possibly with...
while protecting their child's privacy with their TrustShield technology. Based on the information on their website, TrustShield allows parents and children to agree on what level of privacy will be enforced and then is clearly communicated by all parties, including the child. Although monitoring of a minors activities is legal in almost all states for children under the age of 18, critics of child monitoring and spyware technologies designed to be installed without the child's knowledge say that it invades a child's privacy and freedom. Protector is due to ship in the summer of 2010.