Use of force, especially when correlated with officer morale and/or inadequate education/training, has become particularly problematic. Steps should be taken to reduce injuries to suspects, particularly physical injuries resulting from poor officer tactics or malicious intent unrelated to law enforcement. These are issues which, if properly addressed and corrected, will result in improved officer morale, better relations with the public and ensure a good reputation is maintained for the oldest police force in the country. Use of electronic control devices (ECD) such as the Taser X26, widely used at the discretion of police officers, can be a very useful tool to temporarily incapacitate and gain custody of a non-compliant suspect. When used appropriately, it can even reduce the risk of a suspect physically harming the officer, themselves, or others due to temporary physical incapacitation. However, these devices should not necessarily be used unnecessarily, and officers who use them liberally and without good reason should not go without appropriate disciplinary measures, proportionate to the magnitude of the situation. I would like to shed light on a few examples of DPE use where officer discretion has been subject to scrutiny. The October 2013 use of a Taser on an 8-year-old South Dakota girl who threatened to harm herself has recently raised many eyebrows. Questions have been raised about whether the suspect's age should play a role in the decision to fire an ECD due to the child's small size and the powerful electrical force of these weapons. Given the obvious metallic fragility of this child, one must consider the risk of considerable emotional trauma to the child...... middle of paper ...... Web. February 28, 2015.https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/02/16/homicide-bridgewater-state-hospital-raises-profound-questions-about-care-for-mentally-ill/TqgMJdNZ8SPjLcFQ6hRkTN/story. htmlJT122333. (August 13, 2009). Mom in minivan used Taser twice during traffic stop in Salina; the camera captures the brutal roadside arrest of a deputy. Internet. February 28, 2015. http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-313749Associated Press. (2009, 12 15). Report: $75g for a woman hit by a cop with a Taser. New York Post. Internet. February 28, 2015. http://nypost.com/2009/12/15/report-75g-for-woman-tasered-by-cop/ Hult, J. (2013, 10 09). Use of Taser on 8-year-old child justified, SD police say. The United States Today. Internet. February 28, 2015. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/09/taser-of-8-year-old-girl/2951083/Pollock, J.M. (2012). Crime and Justice in America: An Introduction to Criminal Justice (2nd ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier.