In recent years, police use of Tasers as a safer alternative to other forms of deadly force has come under great scrutiny. More and more police departments across the country are being questioned about whether they’re using the electronic stun guns properly. [CBC News recently examined Taser use across Canada.] Here, two journalists explain through e-mail interviews how they used computer-assisted reporting to analyze Taser use by their local police departments.

Mark Nichols analyzed Taser use in Indianapolis for a November 2005 article in the Indianapolis Star, which was written with Dick Walton. The investigation found the police using Tasers on unarmed suspects, some with minor violations. In addition, they found that blacks and Hispanics were far more likely than whites to get shocked by the police.

Matt Dempsey examined liquor license and Taser use data for a 2004 Arizona Republic story with Robert Anglen.The story found that most of the people shocked by police in Phoenix were drunk, handcuffed or on the ground.

Q: Was it difficult to get the data from police departments or other sources?

NICHOLS: We knew that, at the time the story was written, IPD [Indianapolis Police Department] kept individual reports on each Taser incident, with fairly complete narrative. The problem came in those reports being in paper form. We were forced to create our own electronic file (spreadsheet). We also faced problems in getting Taser-related incidents from the sheriff and other area agencies, which typically didn't highlight those incidents in a separate report.

DEMPSEY: The liquor license data was easily obtained via the Web. The biggest problem in getting the records from the police department was their format. They refused to release us any electronic records. They sent us about four boxes of paper. And while I wasn't the reporter who asked for it, I know they gave him grief on getting that, too.

Q: What was the reaction to your questions (i.e. cooperative, interrogative, etc.)?

NICHOLS: I recall Dick Walton saying that the company that makes the Tasers was quite interrogative when he talked to them. They likely were trying to get at the "theme" of our story and why.

DEMPSEY: Robert Anglen wrote the story and did the interviews. I know that the police were not very receptive to the story. The police were very supportive of Taser and honestly thought the concerns over Taser were much to do about nothing. Their stance was (and continues to be the last I heard) that Taser saves lives, and it is appropriately placed in their use-of-force hierarchy. The contention of the stories is they are not non-lethal but less-lethal and the use of Tasers was inappropriate for that consideration. ? 

Brynn Gingras is a graduate student at the Missouri School of Journalism and an anchor/reporter for KMIZ-Columbia.