The kit includes a camera, a control piece and a computer that hangs from the belt. Every time an officer interacts with a civilian, they are required to activate the AXON camera. Afterward, the officer can switch the camera to a "buffer" mode that records limited video, or turn it off completely. At the end of a shift, the video will be downloaded to a central server.

A leading critic of the department welcomed the cameras as a tool to provide useful evidence, but dismissed their significance as a solution to rocky police-community relations.

"The AXON project is unfortunately a positive thing right now because the level of distrust is so high," said Raj Jayadev, director of the community organization Silicon Valley De-Bug. "But it doesn't address the more fundamental problem: What stereotypes police may carry when they see people of color on the street and make assumptions about character.

Since an officer can simply turn off the device at anytime, I don't think AXON will put an end to police abuse. However, keeping a record of these interactions can do nothing but help the evidence gathering process. Trials financed by Taser are currently underway, but reports estimate that a full-fledged deployment in the San Jose area would cost upwards of $4 million in taxpayer money. [Mercury News via Crunchgear]

Get this: the mother called police because her child was throwing a fit about showering before going to bed. When the officer arrived the girl was kicking and screaming on the floor and the mother suggested that she should be tasered. Instead of saying something like "I don't have time for this crap lady" and calling out child protective services, the officer picked up the girl and carried her into the living room. At that point the girl was reported to be "kicking violently" and one of those kicks struck the officer square in the balls. The officer then proceeded to taser the girl in the back, handcuff her and drag her off to the Western Arkansas Youth Shelter.

If that wasn't bad enough, Officer Bradshaw was suspended for a week without pay, not because he tased the girl, but because he failed to use the camera attachment to record the incident. The girl, on the other hand, will face disorderly conduct charges as a juvenile over the incident. Seriously, what is it going to take before law enforcement decides to rein in police abuse of tasers? Or can cops just go around tasering babies and puppies at will? [AP via True Crime Report via Digg Image via Flickr]

There is a known risk of severe injury from impact projectiles, either from blunt force at short ranges or from hitting a sensitive part of the body.

That's what security researcher Neil Davison says. Given the strength of the grenade launcher, it sounds logical. On the other side, Wes Burgei—an engineer at the US Department of Defense's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate—says that the device is designed to "reduce the projectile's mass and mitigate the impact forces on the target through innovative projectile-nose design." Whatever. I bet the target would prefer this to a bullet round.

The development cost for the military taser is $2.5 million, but it'll be totally free for soon-to-be-incapacitated victims worldwide. [New Scientist]

James Del, who works in Gawker's sales department, says he's up for the task. So at 2:30p today, we'll be tasing him in the gallery. If you have any interest in seeing someone take 50,000 volts to the stomach, you'll want to be there. We're pretty excited. Two. Thirty. Pee. Em. BE THERE.

UPDATE: So, The Man just cracked down on us and said we might not be allowed to taser anyone at all—not even our own kin. So we're trying to work this out. Turns out The Man is OK with us tasing James as long as he/she/it is here. But apparently that wont be til tomorrow. :-(

Gizmodo Gallery 2009
Groupe
267 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012

Gallery Dates:
September 23rd-27th

Times:

9/22 Tuesday
Media Day by appointment only. For info please contact gallery@gizmodo.com.

9/23 Wednesday
12-8

9/24 Thursday
12-8

9/25 Friday
12-8

9/26 Saturday
11-8
9-? - Live Musical Performance

9/27 Sunday
11-6

Read more about our Giz Gallery 09 here, follow @gizgallery on Twitter and see what else we'll be playing with at the event. And special thanks to Toyota's Prius — without their sponsorship, there would be no Gizmodo Gallery.

We'll have a target box set up in the back of the gallery where you'll be able to ready...aim...fire at the thing so that you'll know how to properly execute a long distance tase in the future. Even better, we'll have the leopard print C2 from Taser, which Frucci loves so so much because of its MP3 player capability and sweet looks.

And while it's not entirely legal to publicly tase Jason Bentley in the gallery, it might be legal to tase some pancakes from the ChefStack pancake maker or the singing Tesla coils.

Gizmodo Gallery 2009
Groupe
267 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012

Gallery Dates:
September 23rd-27th

Times:

9/22 Tuesday
Media Day by appointment only. For info please contact gallery@gizmodo.com.

9/23 Wednesday
12-8

9/24 Thursday
12-8

9/25 Friday
12-8

9/26 Saturday
11-8
9-? - Live Musical Performance

9/27 Sunday
11-6

Read more about our Giz Gallery 09 here, follow @gizgallery on Twitter and see what else we'll be playing with at the event. And special thanks to Toyota's Prius — without their sponsorship, there would be no Gizmodo Gallery.

As the shiny, shiny floor decoration reveals, a Taser factory needs all that security. No, really. Wired magazine recently took a tour of the Taser plant and this was the ominous front door they faced. Taser-proof gear or not, like anyone would try to trespass there? [Wired]

As you can see with the video, the X3 is capable of firing three cartridges without reloading. It also uses "a revolutionary Pulse Calibration System" that monitors electrical output in order to deliver the safest effective dose to a target. Too bad that wasn't developed in time for this poor bastard.

TASER International Launches Revolutionary New Multi-Shot TASER Device
With Precision Shaped Pulse Technology
Next Generation TASER X3 Unveiled At Annual TASER Conference

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 27, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TASER
International, Inc.(Nasdaq:TASR), a leading provider of technology
solutions and the market leader in electronic control devices (ECDs),
today launched its new TASER(r) X3(tm), the next generation product
line of its proprietary ECDs, at its annual TASER Conference in
Fountain Hills, AZ.

The X3, which is capable of firing three cartridges without reloading,
is the first new handheld ECD by TASER International since the
introduction of the TASER(r) X26(tm) ECD in 2003.

The X3 uses a revolutionary Pulse Calibration System(tm) to constantly
monitor and calibrate electrical output to provide more consistent
effects on the target and to provide enhanced safety over the current
proven and widely accepted TASER(r) technology.

"The TASER X3 is the most sophisticated handheld weapon ever
developed," said Rick Smith, CEO of TASER International. "The X3 will
improve effectiveness and safety over the previous generations of
TASER(r) devices while also providing the ability to store and
retrieve more information and diagnostic analysis on the use and
performance of the device than the X26. While our flagship TASER X26
is recognized as the leading law enforcement tool to deliver a
less-lethal response to resistance, it is limited by being only a
single-shot system. Developing a multiple-shot capability makes sense
to increase officer safety through the ability to recover from a
missed shot or even simultaneously stop up to three separate targets.
The remarkable technology advances of the X3 will provide more safety
for officers and the communities they protect as well as more
transparency in reporting and analyzing dynamic confrontations with
law enforcement."

Since July 1, TASER International has provided daily reveals of the
new features and technology of the X3 at http://TASERX3.com. Several
of the key technology breakthroughs noted in more detail at today's X3
unveiling include:

1. The world's first multiple-shot ECD using new Rotational-Pulse(tm)
Drive provides for enhanced officer safety by enabling the user to
recover from missed shots and/or engage up to three targets.

2. Warning Arc — the ability to arc display even while cartridges
are loaded. Previously, a warning arc has been shown to gain
voluntary compliance in more than over 80% of incidents without
resorting to the deployment of probes. However, this has
previously required the removal of the TASER(r) cartridge to
demonstrate the electrical arcs, which can expose an officer to
danger with a temporarily unloaded TASER device. Now, officers
can readily use the Warning Arc while the cartridges are loaded
resulting in both improved officer safety and suspect safety.

3. Pulse Calibration System (PCS) and Charge Diffusion(tm) Probe —
the PCS constantly monitors and calibrates electrical output to
deliver a Precision Shaped Pulse(tm) that provides more consistent
effects on the target. The Charge Diffusion Probe allows most of
the charge energy to diffuse into the outermost layers of the skin
with much less energy penetrating deep into the body. The
combination of the PCS and new Charge Diffusion Probe design in
the X3 yields improved safety characteristics.(1)

4. Environmentally Hardened system withstands sea spray, rain, dust,
electrostatic discharge, even short-term water submersion.

5. Trilogy(tm) Log system with improved sensors inside the X3 —
greatly enhances the usage data analytics over prior generation
dataports with a variety of sensors that record three data logs:

Event Log records common event data such as safety on/off,
trigger presses, Warning Arcs, cartridge deployments as well
as firmware updates, and time updates;

Pulse Log stores the electric characteristics of every pulse
emitted from the X3 and can determine if the charge was
delivered to a subject, arced into the air as a warning, if
probes missed the target, or even if the wires broke or some
other factor interrupted charge delivery to the subject;

Engineering Log monitors the performance of every key
electrical sub-system within the X3 during events and at
rest and provides alerts to the user if any sub-system is
not performing properly and if maintenance is advisable.

6. Range Adjusted Dual Laser System — increases officer accuracy
and effectiveness with improved dual laser system which detects
the types of cartridges loaded and automatically adjusts the
related dual laser targeting system for the appropriate trajectory
of the probes.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—
(1) The output pulse of the TASER X3 is tuned to 63 uC
(microcoulombs) +/- 10% regardless of output conditions compared to
approximately 110 uC in the TASER X26 with both probes penetrated.
Hence, the X3 delivers approximately 1.3 mA of average current
whereas the X26 can deliver from 0.8 to 2.5 mA of average current
depending on whether the probes are penetrated or arcing to the
target.

[Taser]

Cop: Do you feel this?

Suspect: Yes, sir.

Cop: Do you feel that? That's my …

Suspect: Okay

Cop: … Taser up your ass.

Suspect: Okay

Cop: So don't move.

Suspect: I'm trying not to. I can't breathe.

Cop: Now do you feel this in your balls?

Suspect: I do, sir. I'm not going to move. I'm not gonna move.

Cop: Now I'm gonna tase your balls if you move again.

(A full minute goes by)

Cop: Okay, I'm gonna take this Taser out of your asshole now. Are you going to fight with me?

Suspect: No, not at all, sir.

Cop: (to another cop) So far, for the last two minutes, he's been cooperative. But then my Taser's in his ass.

Then they placed the taser on his genitals and threatened to do the same. The suspect still had burns inside his right buttock 13 days after the brutal attack. [Idaho Statesmen via Carlos Miller—Thanks GitEmSteveDave]

The man pretty immediately went up in flames, and the officer, recognizing that a man becomes significantly less dangerous once he's on fire, went to the suspect's aid, patting him all over (and getting burned himself) to quell the flames. While the officer tried to help the flammable man, he was hit by rocks thrown by a young woman also on the scene, also presumably high or stupid or both. Both the man and woman, as well as two others, were charged with sniffing a prohibited substance, and the young woman was charged with throwing rocks at a policeman. [Daily Telegraph]

The 19-year-old, a Nevada native named Sean Stanley (we publish his name in hopes of honoring, not embarrassing, this hero) was wandering nude around the highway until he was ordered to stop by police—at which point he immediately headed into a crowded casino. He was tased by police there in the casino, in full view of a group of children (nudity and gambling, now there's a great family trip), despite his claims that he was a Terminator sent from the future, a wry reference to the Terminator films.

As it turns out, Stanley was actually stoned out of his mind on LSD and pot, though we don't have concrete evidence as of publication that he is not a Terminator. Stanley was charged with indecent exposure and resisting arrest by the police, and honored by us with the prestigious Tracy Morgan Award for Intoxicated Hilarity (hence the video accompanying this story). Congratulations, Sean! [Yahoo! via Geekologie]

In the case of one Ryan S. Smith, accused of shooting and a gas station robbery:

Smith was handcuffed and sitting on the floor of Niagara Falls Police Headquarters when he was zapped with the 50,000- volt electronic stun gun after he insisted he would not give a DNA sample.

He already had given a sample, a swab of the inside of his cheek, without protest the previous month. But police sent it to the wrong lab, where it was opened and spoiled. Prosecutors who had obtained a court order for the first sample went back to Sperrazza, who signed another order without consulting the defense.

To be fair, Sperrazza cited several precedents of her own to justify the ruling—including one case in Wyoming where it was deemed legal for the police to Taser a suspect to force him to open his hand for a search. The state's own Criminal Procedure Law also states that the use of reasonable force is legal to carry out a court order. Is refusing to give up a DNA sample on the same level as being violent? That is to say, should it be a Taserable offense? [Buffalo News via HardOCP Image via Flickr]

This brilliant twenty-year-old was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. The man who was being shielded by the baby was charged with resisting arrest. The baby, thankfully, was not charged. [SFGate]

The X12 fires a jolt through the air (wirelessly) through nonlethal bullets that can cut through clothing to paralyze a perpetrator within an effective range of 88 feet. Apparently this paralysis occurs without pain (though I wonder if that's a relative idea), meaning that freeze tag just got a whole lot more fun, though ever so slightly less fair.

Authorities will receive their first shipments of the X12 in June. The endless pranks will begin sometime thereafter. [Taser via Yahoo via The Raw Feed]

Connecting via 3.5mm jack existing radio systems (like walkie talkies), the video signal appears to piggyback on existing transmissions, allowing remote monitoring and recording of what a police officer sees from their perspective. Shooting color and lowlight IR modes, the system is being pitched as a means to provide accurate footage in cases where a police officer is questioned in court.

Still, we can't help but consider the Axon possibly the first practical camera to record our whole lives, with most people assuming that you were merely donning a Bluetooth mic through the day. [Axon via Engadget]

Obviously, this report is not the last word on the subject and we will surely see more studies in the years to come. And my guess is most of these studies will be in conflict with one another. Hell, we have already seen one incident where a Taser may have helped someone with a heart condition. What's next? A study that finds Canadian criminals are more sensitive to electrocution than American criminals? [CBC News via Digg]

After being tased, the electrodes that had been monitoring his condition were re-attached, and it was then that the doctors realized that the patient's heart had returned its normal rhythm. Apparently, this is the first time anyone has heard of a taser actually correcting an irregular heartbeat, but the role that the taser played in the patient's recovery is debatable. Many believe that it could have occurred as the result of his treatment with a beta blocker, or that it was a simple spontaneous event that occurred with impeccable timing. [WSJ]

Mounties corporal Scott Wilson defended his colleague's grandad-bashing actions. "Whether the person is 80 or 20, we are dealing with a person who had a deadly weapon in their hand. We could not deploy our ... pepper spray, because we could potentially contaminate the entire hospital."

Lasser, a former prison guard, reckons they overdid it, claiming that, with three Mounties in the room, they could have overpowered him without using a Taser. Lasser said there were three RCMP officers in his hospital room and believes they could have easily handled him without the use of a Taser. "I was laying on the bed by then and the corporal came in, or the sergeant, and said to the guys, 'OK, get him because we got more important work to do on the street tonight,'" he said.

"And then, bang, bang, bang, three times with the laser, and I tell you, I never want that again." That'll teach him to bring a knife to hospital, then. [CBC News via Dvorak]

Even if you never get to use it on a real assailant, it feels good to click an e-commerce button that says "Add to Cart and Choose Voltage"—that is, assuming you don't live in New York, Massachusetts, Michigan, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey or the cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia or Washington, DC. [TBO Tech via BBGadgets]

Perhaps the most feature-free MP3 player we've ever seen, it has a mere 2 buttons and no screen on it. But hey, it holds a Taser! I'd like to see an iPod actually prevent you from being mugged instead of the other way around. Oh, and it also unveiled leopard print and pink Tasers, just in case you want to look fashionable before taking someone who's political beliefs you disagree with down to the pavement.

If the shotguns aren't enough to scare you, what if all the robots had Taser shotgun rounds, shocking your ass with enough electricity to make you wish you were dead? Now imagine this sucker dropping off a six-wheeled robot with TWO MORE of those formidable guns on board.

Good god, what's going to happen if this thing gets loose on its own? Until then, enjoy the potential mayhem of this doomsday weapon. [More video at Fortune Magazine, and Defense Review]

Zazzo says his hovering shocker will be raining down the pain sometime next year, and could even find its way to these shores. Pushbutton Tasering from a distance? Sounds like an insane idea. This whole Taser concept has gone way too far, but we suppose it's better than mass murdering crowds of people. [Danger Room]

While we've questioned the need for gadgets to be small and pink for girls to get on board, to answer the question at the end of the video, yes, women should totally be arming themselves with Tasers. It's kind of hot, plus we have protection, so it's cool. [Local 6 via Tech Digest]

It manages both its tiny size (its the smallest on the market) with its powerful punch (the company claims the highest volts of any comparable system) by losing the 9v batteries that most tasers use for what I'd guess is a nicad or lithium battery. That also means you can recharge the little bugger. Not bad for $80. I wonder if there's a way to turn an old iPod's lipoly battery into something like this with a capacitor? [PersonalSecurity via Red Ferret]

As you can see in the video, the biggest advantage of the Shockwave, meant for military checkpoints, is that you can be a crap shot and still lay out your enemy. Each unit fires six TASER cartridges, fanning out in a nightmarish 20-degree arc of electricity that's bound to hit something. That's what is called "area denial".

The other boon of the Shockwave is its modularity: you can couple, or "daisy-chain", as many units together as you want. Side by side alignment will enhance your kill, er, incapacitation radius. Stacked, you increase the number of salvos to return against a given attack wave. Of course, the 25-foot range on each TASER cartridge brings to mind every movie that ever featured a grizzled captain eying the enemy horde's approach and growling, "Wait for it... Wait... For... It..." I'd say that's in the "force protection" category.

The products should be in a pilot program this fall, with full release of the Shockwave next year. We'd be happy to product test them, Johnny Knoxville-style, if TASER would grant a media request, if for no other reason than to legitimately use once and for all the phrase, "You can really TASE the difference!" [TASER]

Each battery is crammed with enough juice to dole out a full 20-second cycle of pure "non-violent" punishment. 20 seconds! Good lord, that's a long time to be gettin' Tasered. It also has such neat features as three "torsion spring fins" which help the XREP stay straight and fly right into the fleshy part of that guy trying to steal an air conditioner.

Well, that settles it: I'm giving up my life of crime. You've convinced me, Taser! No more breaking and entering for this guy. • [Taser]

And if you're wondering, yes, this came from Japan. Where else? – Jason Chen

Product Page [Strapya via Sci Fi]

It's pink, fluffy, wired, and can shock you with 50,000 volts. Oh, and it's shaped like a tampon. Fantastic, eh?

Just be careful not to mix this up with a real tampon, ladies. This is not a proper way to deal with unwanted pregnancies. – Jason Chen

A Security System More Lethal Than PMS: The Tampon Taser Gun [American Inventor Spot]

Also works like a champ on that lovable yet playfully bloodthirsty dog next door. It's banned in some of the wussier states. – Charlie White

Product Page [Hollywood Gadgets, via Coolest Gadgets]

A mere 9-volt battery keeps those creeps at bay with 80,000 volts of Taser-like electricity. Hit the switch and teach that Neanderthal to keep his hands off the merchandise. There's an insulated rubber layer between you and the hot juice, but if you scratch your head while pushing the button, well, you'll be in for a shocking experience.

This is great stuff. Just the fact that such a jacket exists will fend off would-be attackers. Bravo. Maybe there will be one for guys, too. – Charlie White

Product Page [No Contact, via Wired]

Since June 2001, Amnesty International has compiled a list of over 100 people who have died after being shocked with 50,000 volts by a Taser stun gun used by a law enforcement agent. Obviously, these numbers don't help the company's sales or the good name of your friendly police officers. So to make sure the guns are used for the right reasons and to hold the user accountable for their actions, Taser has developed a Taser Cam, which will attach to the butt of the gun and record audio and video of whenever it's used. The Taser cam starts running as soon as the gun is turned on and will keep recording until it's turned off, so we won't miss a thing. It also faces where the gun is pointing for real accuracy. Of course, it doesn't come standard with the gun, so the camera will have to be purchased separately for $400. In October, rival stun gun company Stinger Systems, Inc also announced a gun that can be fitted with an audio-video recorder, selling for only $200 extra, though they won't say who, if anyone, has purchased the weapons.

Taser to offer stun gun cameras [CNN]