Police departments across the country are increasingly turning to a new form of stun gun to decrease the numbers of fatal shootings.

In many cases, the experiment has been a huge success. Miami and Seattle, for instance, last year recorded no fatal officer shootings for the first time in more than a decade.

But as cities increase their use of Tasers, questions are mounting about their misuse. And critics have been calling for independent tests to determine the health risks.

Recently, the Houston Police Department announced that it wants every officer on the force to carry a Taser, making it the nation's largest buyer of the stun guns. Houston's new police chief, Harold Hurtt, is a big advocate.

While he was the chief in Phoenix, he began arming his officers with the stun guns after a report showed residents in that city were more likely to be shot by a police officer than in any other city. He credits the 31 percent drop in Phoenix's fatal shootings in 2003 in part to Tasers, and has convinced Houston Mayor Bill White to put $3.2 million into buying stun guns.

Police agencies began buying the stun guns in large quantities in 1999 and again in 2003 when the company reduced the product's size and weight. They are now used in 5,400 police departments across the country and are spreading into the US military. Two weeks ago, Taser International was awarded a $1.8 million contract to supply the stun guns to the military.

"They are changing policing the way the walkie-talkie changed policing in the 1960s and '70s," asserts Steve Tuttle, spokesman for Taser International, based in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Resembling a small pistol, the stun guns use nitrogen cartridges to propel darts into the body, delivering a 50,000-volt shock. The shock, lasting several seconds, immobilizes a person, allowing officers to take control of the situation.

But not everyone is convinced of their benefits. Amnesty International has called for a moratorium on Taser use until tests can be done to determine their safety. Nationwide, more than 50 people have died after being stunned by Tasers since 1999, though the company says no medical examiner has ruled that its product was the cause. "We applaud cities' efforts to reduce the number of police shootings, but we want to make certain that the solution being proposed is the appropriate one," says William Schulz of Amnesty International USA.

He also says there need to be uniform rules governing Taser use. It's currently up to each police department to set guidelines - something that varies from agency to agency. "Unlike batons, which can leave a bruise, or guns, which can leave a wound, these devises can be misused without detection," says Dr. Schulz.

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