/24-7PressRelease/ - BOSTON, MA, July 11, 2005 - (StunGun.com) Reaction to stun gun use continues to build. A legal battle in Solano County, Calif., provides insight into how law enforcement's use of the weapons may play out elsewhere. Taser International's research on the effects of stun guns on animals has attracted the attention of a high-profile advocacy group. How these and other battles resolve will be critical to the public's future comfort level with the weapon, according to a Boston-based personal security and self-defense expert.
"Stun gun use is approaching a cross roads," said Robert Siciliano, president of StunGun.com. "Powerful forces from all reaches of the philosophical spectrum are vying to set the course of this useful, humane weapon's future." An expert in personal security and identity theft, Siciliano is author of "The Safety Minute: 01."
According to a June 22 article in the Vallejo Times Herald, a Solano County Grand Jury called for police to come up with improved rules to self-govern the use of stun guns.
"I agree with the Solano County Grand Jury," said Siciliano. "I always agree when someone decides law enforcement should be careful with its use of new weapons."
In his columns, Jim Kouri, CPP, vice president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, has drawn on Siciliano's expertise regarding law enforcement's use of stun guns. Siciliano has been on radio programs this year to discuss the safety of stun guns.
"Many want to see stun guns become a normal part of law enforcement's less-than-lethal arsenal under reasonable guidelines," Siciliano said. "I count myself among these people. I have always said the stun gun is also an excellent alternative to pepper spray for civilians seeking weapons for self-defense. But other groups in the national discourse seem to embrace a knee-jerk reaction and dismiss all stun gun use as nefarious. Their messages can affect public opinion in fundamental ways to obstruct reason."
"Some groups seem to adhere to dogma and pie-in-the-sky ideologies that prevent any acceptance of stun gun use whatsoever," Siciliano continued. "This kind of attitude unnecessarily maligns what is essentially a vast improvement over firearms both for law enforcement and civilians seeking a to defend themselves in cases of attack."
In a press release released the same day that the Vallejo Times Herald article was published, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to look into Taser International's research on animals.
"Organizations such as PETA and others have agendas," Siciliano said. "Agendas, no matter their worth, benefit from publicity. Taser is in the news. PETA will get publicity for an extremist pro-animal cause by riding the news Taser itself generates. So will others."
"If PETA and other activist organizations actually tried to generate their own news," Siciliano added, "they wouldn't even be in the news all that much. They would be placed only in other activist publications."
According to a June 22 "Stock Trading Alert" by eLocity, Arizona-based Taser has recently received orders, "including one from an unnamed law enforcement agency," for one of its stun gun devices to the tune of $1 million.
Taser is also suing, as reported by The Motley Fool and others, USA Today's parent for allegedly publishing inaccurate statements about how many amperes the stun gun company's weapon generates.
The Charlotte Business Journal has quoted Siciliano on developments in the stun gun industry. The New York Post has covered StunGun.com in its business pages.
"Some say Taser's suit is retaliation against what the company considers to be unfair stun gun coverage," said Siciliano. "I agree, but it has become cool to denigrate stun gun technology. To opine against stun gun use is the latest activist's rallying call du jour."
"The stun gun story is about more than public policy," Siciliano concluded, "It's about even more than politics. The stun gun debate is about money. There is money to be made in stun gun technology, and whoever figures out how to reconcile public opinion with the promise of less-than-lethal weaponry is poised to make lots of money indeed."
Certified as an instructor of safety and security by dozens of state governing boards, Siciliano teaches people how to avoid and escape assaults. Numerous industry associations have certified his programs to provide their members with security training. In addition to CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and CNBC, he has been featured on "ABC News with Sam Donaldson," "The Montel Williams Show," "Maury Povich," "Sally Jesse Raphael," "The Howard Stern Show," and other programs.
Siciliano can be reached at 1-800 STUNGUN (788-6486). The URL http://www.stungun.com leads to his Web site. His blog is located at http://www.1800stungun.blogspot.com.
Siciliano's contact information follows:
Robert L. Siciliano, President
Personal Security Expert
phone: 1(800) STUNGUN (788-6486)
fax: (877) 2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)
Robert@StunGun.com
The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly. They may also contact:
Brent W. Skinner, President
STETrevisions
cell: (617) 875-4859
fax: (866) 663-6557
BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com
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