SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (Marketwire) -- 12/19/12 -- TASER International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR), is sponsoring the planting of 3,000 trees through Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of the estimated 100,000 lives saved from death or serious personal injury by TASER® brand electronic control devices (ECDs) on Dec. 13, 19 years after the company was founded.
By giving new life to its community, TASER seeks to represent how its life-saving ECDs have made a difference in both law enforcement officers' and citizens' lives since the first devices were deployed in 1994.
TASER partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation because of the organization's ongoing dedication to fostering community health through planting and nurturing trees, while TASER is empowering people around the world to provide the best safety and security for their communities. TASER selected its donations to support domestic reforestation projects of greatest need in California and Florida (representing the U.S. from east to west), as well as an international reforestation project in Brazil'sAtlantic Forest (representing TASER's international presence).
Brothers Rick and Tom Smith founded TASER in September 1993 to create safer personal protection alternatives, while using technologies to maximize public safety and minimize the potential for misuse. Their inspiration followed the tragic deaths of Rick's two former high school football teammates who were murdered in a road rage incident. "Tom and I knew we wanted to create technology that could significantly change our culture and be a positive disruptive force that could revolutionize both personal safety and law enforcement by preventing situations like this personal tragedy in the future," said CEO Rick Smith. "We wanted to commemorate the preservation of life by partnering with a foundation that gives new life to our world's forests."
"Undoubtedly our Saves Counter hitting the 100,000 milestone is a critical reminder to our employees and the brave men and women of law enforcement about the valuable work they do every day," said Rick Smith. "The Saves Counter is linked not just to the math behind the estimate, but to videos and reports of the heroic efforts of law enforcement officers to save lives with ECDs. It is with sincere gratitude that we thank these brave men and women for the risks that they take every day to keep our communities safe."
Methodology and Background
TASER's "Saves Counter" tracks estimates of the number of people whose lives have been saved from potential death or serious injury using TASER® devices and the number of times law enforcement uses TASER ECDs in the field. The Saves Counter is posted on the home page of TASER.com.
As of Sept. 30, 2012, TASER International has sold approximately 700,000 TASER ECDs in 107 countries to more than 16,800 law enforcement and military agencies. In addition, approximately 255,000 TASER ECDs have been sold to the general public. The milestone coincides with TASER's recent announcement that it reached a four-year high with earnings, seeing revenues up 18 percent to 28.8 million at the end of the third quarter.
The Saves Counter was developed based on a statistical analysis of TASER usage patterns in the more than 16,800 agencies using TASER ECDs today. Some key statistics:
- More than 625,000 TASER ECDs are used by law enforcement officers worldwide
- 107 countries deploy TASER ECDs
- ECDs are deployed roughly once every two years in the field based on reported usage patterns
- TASER ECDs have been used in approximately 1.77 million incidents
- The usage equates to roughly 2.3 times for each TASER ECD fielded since 1999
- An analysis of field uses of ECDs published in the Journal of Trauma found that 5.4% of TASER ECD uses were deemed to have clearly prevented use of lethal force by police
- 5.4% of the 1.77 million field incidents of TASER deployments equates to the number of people saved from serious risk of injury or death
- TASER ECDs are deployed more than 900 times each day worldwide
Links
About Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at www.arborday.org, or by visiting the Foundation on Facebook, Twitter or the Foundation's blog.
About TASER International, Inc.
TASER International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR) is a global provider of safety technologies that protect life and protect truth. More than 16,800 public safety agencies in 107 countries rely on TASER® electronic control devices (ECDs) and AXON on-officer camera systems to help protect and serve. Today, the use of TASER ECDs has saved more than 100,000 lives from potential death or serious injury while TASER innovations benefit individuals and families too, providing personal protection and accountability while maintaining regard for life. Since 1994, more than 255,000 individuals have relied on TASER technology as a means for effective personal safety. Learn more about TASER International and its solutions at www.TASER.com and www.EVIDENCE.com or by calling (800) 978-2737.
TASER® is a registered trademark of TASER International, Inc., registered in the U.S. All rights reserved. TASER logo and TASER® are trademarks of TASER International, Inc.
Note to Investors
Please visit our Investor Relations Safe Harbor Statement at: http://investor.taser.com/
For investor relations information please contact Erin Curtis by phone at 480-515-6330 or via email at IR@TASER.com, or Dan Behrendt, Chief Financial Officer of TASER International, Inc., 480-905-2002.
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CONTACT:
Steve Tuttle
Vice President of Communications
TASER International, Inc.
Media ONLY Hotline: (480) 444-4000
Source: TASER International
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