The suspect was spotted just minutes after the call and was clocked driving the stolen Harley Davidson at 72 mph in a 45 mph neighborhood. Police initiated a chase, which cut thru town.

Police boxed in the motorcycle and seeing additional cars in front of him the suspect pulled over to a shoulder, jumped off the bike and made a run for nearby wooded and swampy area. Officers gave chase into the mucky terrain.

The End of the Road
Several officers tussled with the suspect and eventually resorted to the use of a stun gun to subdue the individual. The man, a 32-year old resident of St. Claire Shores, was arrested on many charges. Suspicion of auto theft, fleeing arrest, a lack of motorcycle endorsement and not having an approved motorcycle helmet were among the many charges.

Trial is pending and although the suspect wasn’t clocked at 115 mph, there is no question as to his speeding, his recklessness and his overall disregard for authority and the law. Fortunately the chase was brought to a relatively rapid conclusion.

The Safety of our Officers
There is no question that this man could have made his way through the swampy region and gotten away but for the quick actions of the police officers involved. Anyone reckless enough to drive at such speeds is not someone we want on our already dangerous roads.

In this case the stun gun allowed officers to quickly apprehend the man before he managed to get away again. The weapon also rendered the man compliant in a situation that could have easily gotten quite a bit more dangerous.

Non-Lethal Self Defense Options
Sprays such as pepper spray or mace are easy to use, popular products that can buy you some time when approached unexpectedly by a potential attacker. These products do have some drawbacks though.

If the wind is blowing at you, you could be the one most affected. If you happen to meet up with an attacker who is immune to the product, you will only have made them mad. Consider them a final option and make sure you can run for safety when you use them, the surprise factor alone should buy you a few seconds.

Stun guns require contact for use, but can be incorporated into another weapon, such as a baton. Stun guns are also effective for a large portion of the population but there are those who can ignore the shock and still keep coming. Meth users are particularly notorious for such behavior.

TASERS use a distance approach by shooting out electrodes that can penetrate clothing and administer a significant jolt that can’t be overridden by drugs. The catch here is that if you do TASE someone with a heart condition or on drugs they may die as a result of the shock. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t consider a TASER for self defense, just that you should be aware of the potential consequences.

Classes imbue Confidence
There are a variety of self defense classes available just about anywhere you look. The goal is to make you less vulnerable, not invincible. Classes focus on women, children, situations and more, you need only pick the one that suits your needs. Remember though that a couple of hours in class aren’t really enough to protect you against an aggressive attacker.

After an incident in South Carolina when a 75-year-old woman was tased after she became distraught about leaving a nursing home where her sick friend was residing, the debate became more heated.

Are TASERs being used appropriately?
Another situation arose in Miami, FL when police used a TASER on a 12-year-old who was caught cutting school. The public outcry after that incident caught the local Police Chief by surprise.

Citing the use of a TASER to subdue violent offenders on a number of occasions without injury to his officers, the Police Chief stated his support of the weapon. Opponents raise concerns over appropriate training of officers and worry that with a general legal trend towards loosening laws against the use of TASERs that more people will be indiscriminately “tased.”

Of primary concern is the fact that in many states, any citizen can purchase a TASER for personal protection. While police officers must undergo some form of training before being allowed to carry the weapon, those who acquire their weapons online have no such requirement.

Owning a TASER is a Responsibility
It is likely that, in the not too distant future, we will start seeing changes in the laws regarding TASER ownership if the current trend towards regulating everything continues. Until that time, TASER ownership should be considered a serious responsibility.

Owners should make sure that they are educated in the use of their weapon, and understand when and where it is appropriate to do so. A highly effective self defense weapon, the TASER is non-lethal and easy to manage making it appropriate for anyone who wants to feel safer no matter where they are.

The nanosecond electrical pulse project is focusing on using electrical impulses to temporarily paralyze people by causing a disruption to the nervous system. This technique is how a TASER works, allowing it to overcome people who might not react to pain in a normal fashion such as psychopathic individuals.

One of the goals is to allow this weapon to work in a “wireless” fashion. A typical stun gun requires contact with the individual to be stunned. While there is a form of wireless TASER, the nanosecond pulses should allow the size of the weapon to be reduced. Researchers hope that the charge delivered by this new stun gun will be of longer duration as well.

While the weapon is not yet ready to be tested on a human subject, it has been used on brine shrimp, rats and swine. Temporary effects were noted with all subjects but the duration has not yet been revealed.

It is unknown how long it will be before the research pays off in a weapon that can be effectively used outside the laboratory. This weapon is one of several currently under investigation and development by the Joint Nonlethal Weapons Program Directorate, a group that has received over two million dollars in funding over the last few years.

There are clear advantages to a weapon that is as small as a stun gun but still delivers a neurologically overwhelming charge without causing permanent harm. Portability is always an issue for law enforcement officers and soldiers in the field. Determining the value of a weapon can come down to just how heavy or awkward it is.

Incorporating self defense skills and life lessons to promote awareness, the classes have been very popular. While geared more towards the needs of young women who might need to defend themselves in an unsavory situation, the classes still attract many young men as well, even more so at urban schools.

Observing Drunken Behavior
Alcohol plays a large part in many violent situations on college campuses. Rather than preaching about the legality of under age drinking, these classes take the bull by the horns and teach students to evaluate their danger in each situation.

One course assigns students to watch their classmate’s behavior while under the influence and assess patterns that may lead to trouble. Attendees found a lot to consider when watching drunken antics without participating.

Unexpected Attacks
Classes also learn how to deal with the unexpected in an attack. At one school, for the final, students experience a simulation that is designed to let them use their new skills.

Sent to walk around a specified area carrying Silly String as a replacement for pepper spray, the students undergo a simulated attack. Successfully defending against an attack provides the participants with confidence in their ability to protect themselves in real situations.

More Than Self Confidence
The self defense classes don’t only teach combative strategies. Learning how to analyze social situations, a residence or a section of town is all part of the curriculum. Recognizing how to boost personal safety in all situations is the real goal.

As students learn, there is more to self defense than appearing confident. Having the skills to back up the attitude is just as important, if faced with an actual encounter.

With a clear preference to stun guns over handguns, women have found that the weapon not only provides a significant measure of protection but a boost of confidence as well. Well disguised as cell phones, cigarette packages or other accessories, stun guns have another added advantage.

If you "make a mistake, you’re not actually killing somebody with it," declares a local gun storeowner.

More Time to Get Away
Because the stun gun delivers a strong shock that can be transmitted even through most clothing, a potential victim gains between 60-90 seconds to get away from a would-be attacker. Experts recommend that if you do feel threatened you use the weapon, drop it, and then run for safety.

Personal Safety First
Generally considered a safe weapon for self-defense, there have been extremely rare cases when someone under the influence of drugs or with a previous heart condition have died from the use of a stun gun. Still, considering that a woman is only likely to discharge a stun gun when feeling threatened, the risk is justified. Few people report any long-term effects from a stun gun incident.

Accessorize for Action
The newest stun guns are not only much smaller than their erstwhile counterparts, they come in fashionable colors. Light and small, they come in a variety of styles as well. While some models require direct contact, it is best to keep a potential attacker at a distance by using a gun that shoots out contacts.

For women who travel alone, want the added protection of a weapon without a lethal result, stun guns are the perfect choice.

One of the occupants made a dash across the highway, only to be stopped at the high speed lane by one of the officers. A struggle ensued and continued while cars drove by on the highway just a few feet away. Once the other occupant was secured a second officer joined the fray.

A third officer joined in, once the vehicle was secured as well, and with two officers applying TASER jolts, the suspect finally surrendered.

All the officers involved were commended by the town’s Board of Selectmen and the Chief of Police.

Dangerous Situation Properly Managed
There were so many places where this situation could have gone dangerously wrong. Running across several lanes of traffic, wrestling a suspect on the side of a busy highway and confronting two questionable individuals at once. The officers acted professionally, efficiently and effectively to end a potentially lethal situation as quickly as possible.

Police officers face exceptional risks when they stop a vehicle. They have no way of knowing just what they will find inside. Fortunately this situation ended well, with both parties in custody and a wanted man detained for trial.

TASERs provide an effective way to disable a suspect without lethal force and help reduce the dangers to which police officers are subject. This suspect was clearly eager to escape even at significant risk, or he wouldn’t have run across a busy highway. The quick thinking and accurate aim of the two officers ended a potentially lethal situation appropriately.

The key factor that changed his mind was a reduction in the number of times that the officers had to resort to a violent response to control a situation. Not only did the police need to use less force, they sustained fewer and smaller injuries when deploying a stun gun instead of engaging in a confrontation with a suspected wrongdoer.

The police chief reports that just the knowledge of the existence of the stun guns has lead to a lower incidence of violent protest among those arrested. People seem to want to avoid fighting with police, once they know a stun gun is available.

While there has been some controversy of late about whether and when stun guns should be used, if at all, this weapon is overwhelmingly effective in protecting police officers when confronted with a violent individual.

There are rare circumstances in which a stun gun can cause serious harm to an individual. This might occur when the individual has a previous heart condition or is mentally retarded. As the entire department had come forward requesting that stun guns be purchased, the Chief committed to providing the weapons for his officers.

Careful research was conducted to find the appropriate weapon for the department, and a comprehensive plan of use was drawn up as well. Ultimately the township would like to see all the officers equipped with a stun gun and instructed in the use of said weapon.

Stun guns are an important addition to any police forces’ arsenal.

Just last Christmas, passengers had to climb over one another to subdue the al-Queda operative that managed to board a US bound plane. The crew was unable to do anything, not having any training in self defense or disarming techniques. This problem has become systemic.

The Not-so-Friendly Skies
As is evidenced by the frequent reports of passengers behaving badly while under the influence, of simply when angry, the need to train flight crews is obvious. One must assume that money is a consideration, when faced with the thought of training the thousands of flight personnel that routinely work in US owned airplanes.

In testimony given to the US Senate in 2005, flight professionals testified that: “Neither flight attendants nor pilots have received what aviation self-defense experts would consider appropriate and effective self-defense training at even a basic level…” Things haven’t changed at all since that hearing.

The conclusions of the hearing stated that even years after the 9/11 attack on airliners in US airspace, flight crews were no better prepared to defend their aircraft against anyone intending to cause trouble; terrorist or civilian. TSA regulations' prohibiting certain items on board aircraft were seen as only the first step towards making air travel safer.

How this affects travelers
While it isn’t a pleasant thought, all travelers should have some basic self defense skills. Studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice show that resistance to criminals is effective 67% of the time. Even simple measures can help. It goes without saying that our air crews should be receiving self defense classes on an ongoing basis. Until that happens, we passengers must face the problem head on.

Rather than try to enter the melee, officers chose to spray the combatants with pepper spray. The two girls centrally involved in the fight were taken into custody after calm was restored.

Five other students were taken to the local hospital for treatment immediately, and four more followed later. No one was seriously injured and charges are pending.

Controversy over Control
The school involved normally has two school resource officers on the grounds at all times. This morning the officers were not present. From numerous reports, this is a school, which has regular fighting incidents. The availability of pepper spray in this situation clearly prevented a small fight from growing to a major brawl.

While there are those that question the use of pepper spray on minors or in a school setting, it is undeniable that more harm would have come to the students, teachers and facility had the fight not been contained quickly. Lethal force is clearly not an option, nor is it appropriate in this kind of situation.

Crowd control has long been a standard reason for using pepper spray. High school students may not be adults, but they are aware that there are consequences to their actions, and can be expected to be responsible for their choices. A clear violation of both school and societal rules will be met with penalty.

Safety First in our Schools
In the end, the officers acted to defuse a potentially dangerous situation in a manner that affected a minimum of people. The fight was quickly controlled, the combatants removed from the school and extra officers were placed in the school for the rest of the day to ensure it remained calm, which it did.