San Francisco Police Approved To Use Stun Guns
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Police Commission has voted to arm police officers with stun guns in the wake of a deadly shooting.
The 4-3 vote on Friday was met with shouts of "Shame!" from activists. Opponents contend that the supposedly less-lethal weapons can kill and could escalate rather than de-escalate confrontations.
San Francisco has considered and rejected the use of stun guns by police for more than a dozen years, in part because of community opposition.
However, the idea gained traction after a knife-wielding man was shot and killed two years ago after police failed to stop him with non-lethal weapons.
San Francisco and Boston are the only major U.S. cities that don't equip officers with stun guns.
Friday's vote will allow their use as of December 2018.
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