Police Taser Phillies Fan

Philadelphia Police, on patrol last night at Citizens Bank Stadium where Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies play, found themselves chasing seventeen year old Steven Consalvi who decided to run on the field in front of forty thousand  plus fans during the game.  This kid obviously thought it would be a fun gig to rouse the crowd and gain some notoriety which he clearly is getting. But, now this kid will have an unnecessary criminal record for the thrill of running on the field for thirty quick seconds.

The game was halted for the thirty seconds as the police ran in circles after the seventeen year old trying to tackle him to the ground. Finally, the police were able to apprehend the individual after one of the police officers tasered the seventeen year old on his back causing him to fall to the ground.

This incident has resurfaced the debate in the U.S. whether police officers should taser people in order to take them into custody (Remember "Don't Taser me Bro" when the police tasered a fellow during a speaking engagement by Sen. John Kerry).

Many people believe that the police did not have to taser the seventeen year old but rather could have tackled him to the ground. Philadelphia police have already concluded that the officer who tasered the kid did not use excessive force. 

My feeling is that as long as tasering is not deadly or does not cause serious bodily injury (some people say taser guns are deadly), the police should be able to use taser guns in accordance with proper police procedures. After all, it can be difficult to tackle a guy who is running in circles potentially delaying the game for an extended period of time.

The bottom line is that if you obey the law and do not do stupid things like seventeen year old Steven Consalvi, you do not have to worry about being tased in the first place.

Here are two  videos of the incident at Citizens Bank Stadium on Monday May 3rd, 2010.

Police Taser Phillies Fan