Who is police oversight serving? Taser issue fuels ideological rift in Santa Clara County

SAN JOSE — Civil rights and social justice groups have been adamantly opposed to Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies being equipped with Tasers — and said so during a Board of Supervisors meeting in May reviewing such a proposal.

The board voted to cautiously move ahead with outfitting deputies with Tasers, ordering a report due in September that would sketch out a two-year pilot program and outline probable health impacts as well as address broad community concerns that such stun weapons...