Another police shooting? This one takes the cake for excuses.

My daughter and I had this conversation this morning. There are some of the taser models that do not look or grip like a firearm. This would be a helpful thing if it was standardized. I fully agree with SSgt (Join to see) that the taser and firearm should not be drawn from the same side. I don't think a cross draw holster is a good idea, I think it should simply be drawn by the off hand. It is not sighted like a firearm, it is not accurate like a firearm, and (except in the most extreme cases), it doesn't matter where on the target you hit for the target to feel the effects. There is no reason a taser cannot be drawn in the off hand, and deployed from the off hand effectively. This would greatly reduce the chance of an accident occuring.

I was thinking the same thing. I believe he should've retired by now. Not that his age is in any way an excuse... But I can absolutely see this as an accident. A sad situation indeed.

He was a volunteer Auxilliary deputy. It was a weapons sting. I don't know why they thought this was a good idea. There is a reason people cannot stay in certain jobs past a certain age. It becomes a safety issue. The individuals safety, co-worker safety, and in this case public safety are all compromised because through the natural aging process everything slows down and becomes less effective with age. I am all for using retired deputies for Community Service Aids. Let them handle the minor traffic accident where an exchange of information is all that is required. Let them provide assistance with traffic control when necessary. You can even let them be visible in higher crime areas as a deterrent. Don't let them be involved in a potentially volitile situation. It just has too much potential to end badly... like this situation did.

Inward going to speak first but this time I read the article first. A reserve deputy at 73 yrs old? The only thing that comes to mind is WTF is he doing that kind of work? I thought he was going to be mid to late 50s. He needs to retire for sure. Wow! 73 and still running after criminals.