Why use deadly force?
In the days after her death, her family wondered why team members didn’t use a Taser — a device that delivers a non-lethal electric shock. When faced with lethal situations, police officers have to match force with force, said Savelli. “You’re not going to use a Taser when a gun’s involved or you’re going to be dead,” he said. Also, when someone threatens people or police officers or has barricaded him or herself inside a home, the situation calls for more force than a weapon such as a Taser, Savelli said. “I’ve used Tasers, and the reality is — sometimes they don’t work,” Savelli said. They are good weapons, but can be ineffective in life-threatening situations, he said. In the Gouseff standoff, authorities asked for a robot equipped with a Taser, but it wasn’t available. Duffy, who teaches police officers non-lethal force, tells his students the methods are effective, but may not apply when someone is trying to kill them. “If someone presents a lethal threat, the officer has be ready
