Stun guns are commonly used by law enforcement to demobilize non-compliant suspects who pose a threat to not only law enforcement, but also to the general public, prior to arrest or to being detained.
Because they're non-lethal forms of neutralization, they get used far more often than firearms do, but what do stun guns actually do to the human body and brain?
With the 50,000 volts of electricity that enter your body, your nervous system goes through spasms that cause your muscles to lock up. Undoubtedly a painful experience, these lock-ups are described as cramp-like and often cause the suspect to fall down. This experience ends pretty shortly after the electric current is disabled.
In addition to overwhelming the body, the extreme voltage also causes mental disorientation that prevents you from taking in new information for a period of time (fortunately, this is temporary). After about an hour, you can expect normal brain function to return.
It seems like the best of both worlds for law enforcement officers. Non-lethal and disorienting, it's the perfect mix to put a dangerous suspect in handcuffs.
