TASER® International Corporate Fact Sheet
Background:

In 1991, two of Rick and Tom Smith’s friends were brutally murdered by an angry
motorist. Concerned about the increasing violence in their neighborhood, the Smith
brothers purchased a gun for their mother. She refused to use a deadly weapon for selfprotection. As a result, the two brothers from Scottsdale, Arizona found a solution to the
problem of violence in society. In 1993, they formed AIR TASER, Inc., and began
production with Jack Cover, on a non-lethal self-defense device that has revolutionized
personal protection and law enforcement.
The AIR TASER® contains similar technology found in the TASER®, a device developed
in the 1970s by Jack Cover for law enforcement agencies. Because the TASER utilizes
gunpowder, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) declared the TASER a
Title II firearm and remained mainly unavailable to consumers in 1976.
In June 1994, the ATF certified the AIR TASER is not a firearm, and is not subject to the
same regulations as the TASER. As a result, the AIR TASER became available to citizens
concerned about personal security.

Medical Testing:

Medical testing by Dr. Frank Summers MD, an anesthesiologist and specialist in medical
electronics, Dr. Robert Stratbucker, MD, PhD, of the University of Nebraska, the
Consumer Products Safety Commission and the King/Drew Medical Center - Los Angeles
has shown TASER technology does not have lethal or long-term effects, as compared to
extensive-long term injuries for gun shot survivors. In January 1996, Dr. Stratbucker
tested power settings of the AIR TASER and subsequently tested increased power setting
of up to four times the power setting of a 7 Watt AIR TASER to establish a power setting
safety margin for the AIR TASER and for higher power. These experiments corroborated
earlier findings that the electrical emissions from stun type pulse generators, delivered to
the body surface do not cause serious cardiac rhythm abnormalities in the otherwise
healthy heart including electrical outputs equivalent to four times the output of the AIR
TASER. Medical testing conducted by Dr. Stratbucker and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr.
Wayne McDaniel in December 2000 successfully tested the ADVANCED TASER’s
electrical output of 26 Watts at the University of Missouri. In September 1999, Dr. Paul
Hendry of University of Ottawa Heart Institute reviews ADVANCED TASER’s electrical
and reports that there should be no increased risks to patients with pacemakers and
implantable defibrillators. Dr. Stratbucker and Dr. Robert Harrison, Ph.D., Adjunct
Research Professor of Electronics at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, separately
confirmed the electrical outputs of the ADVANCED TASER in February 2000.

Corporate Mission:

To raise mankind above violent behavior by developing products which enable people to
protect themselves without causing injury or death to another human being.
To do all that is possible to ensure society, as well as our customers, can benefit from our
products.
To uphold the highest level of personal and professional ethics in the execution of business.

(more)

Highlights:

September 1993 – Incorporated in the State of Arizona as AIR TASER, Inc.
October 1993 – First AIR TASER prototype fabricated with a 7-Watt output.
November 1993 – AIR TASER approved by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for
consumer use.
July 1994 – Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs declares the AIR TASER a userfriendly device which “deserves appreciation from all law enforcement interests.”
January 1995 – First AIR TASER production model successfully introduced at Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
January 1996 - Dr. Stratbucker tested power settings of the AIR TASER and subsequently
tested increased power setting of up to four times the power setting of a 7 Watt AIR
TASER to establish a power setting safety margin for the AIR TASER and for higher
power. These experiments corroborated earlier findings in consulting reports and peer
review journals that the electrical emissions from stun type pulse generators, delivered to
the body surface do not cause serious cardiac rhythm abnormalities in the otherwise
healthy heart including electrical outputs equivalent to 400% the capacitance and 300% the
battery voltage of the AIR TASER.
January 1997 – AUTO TASER, the next generation of car security utilizing TASER
technology, makes prototype debut at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
January 1998 - AUTO TASER selected as prestigious Innovations '98 award winner at the
1998 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Over 1,000 attendees volunteer to grab
the AUTO TASER and experience its stunning effects.
February 1998 - Sales of AIR TASER to U.S. law enforcement begins.
May 1998 - Air Taser, Inc. changes corporate name to TASER, International, Inc. to
reflect the company's international expansion.
September 1998 – Project “Stealth” officially starts (the development of the ADVANCED
TASER with much higher power to stop goal-oriented, focused and extremely TASER
technology resistant individuals.
October 1998 – GySgt (Ret.) Hans Marrero fights off the effects of AIR TASER. GySgt
Marrero exhibited unusual mental focus and physical strength. He is tapped as one of the
few that can fight the effects of the AIR TASER. 18-yr combat veteran GySgt Marrero
was the former Hand-to-Hand Combat Chief of the U.S. Marine Corps.
January 1999 – Models of ADVANCED TASER tested at American Society of Law
Enforcement Trainers now called Project 388.
February 1999 – First ADVANCED TASER Project 388 prototype tested on three
extremely tough and focused Chandler Police SWAT team members. All three
successfully knocked down by new prototype but can fight through the AIR TASER with
some only slight difficulty after practice.
April 1999 – GySgt Hans Marrero shot two separate times with ADVANCED TASER at
Chandler Police Indoor Range and unable to fight through the effects. GySgt Marrero’s

takedown time was 1.5 seconds and he unable to reach a goal of grabbing a fake handgun 7
feet away.
May 1999 – GySgt Marrero, Rick Smith and Steve Tuttle demo the first 26-Watt prototype
of gun shaped ADVANCED TASER at U.S. Marine Corps HQ at Quantico, VA.
August 1999 – Sgt. Darren Laur reviews the AIR TASER and ADVANCED TASER in
Scottsdale as lead researcher for law enforcement use in Canada. Wind tests behind
Cessna 414 is conducted with positive results compared to Tasertron unit. Sgt. Laur takes
first sample hit of ADVANCED TASER and was unable to fight through the effects. MD
Charlton becomes Canadian law enforcement distributor for AIR TASER and
ADVANCED TASER. MD Charlton ships demo units to Canadian agencies for the first
time in our company’s history (previously, TASER technology was a prohibited device).
September 1999 – First press release regarding the development of the ADVANCED
TASER is released. Ottawa and Montreal TAC teams host first training of AIR TASER
and ADVANCED TASER.
October 1999 – First large scale U.S. demonstration of the ADVANCED TASER at Int’l
Association of Chiefs of Police conference, Charlotte, NC
November 1999 – First large scale international demonstration of ADVANCED TASER at
MILIPOL in Paris. Training in Germany occurs. The first 30 ADVANCED TASER
production units were shipped to New York City Police for field-testing.
December 1999 – Final medical studies conducted on ADVANCED TASER at the
University of Missouri by cardiothoracic surgeons Dr. Robert Stratbucker and Dr. Wayne
McDaniel. Racine Correctional Facility, Amarillo, Chandler and Mesa police departments,
DeKalb, Mecklenburg, and Clackamas county sheriff’s departments were the first law
enforcement agencies to issue ADVANCED TASERs. First U.S. use of the ADVANCED
TASER that is fired on a suspect and with success at Clackamas County Jail, OR.
January 2000 – The first production units of the new M18 and M18L M-Series 18-Watt
ADVANCED TASERs are sold.
February 2000 – Dr. Stratbucker conducts supplemental research on high power output of
ADVANCED TASER to disprove a “transient” reading. Findings are negative on
transients. Dr. Robert Harrison of Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada validates the
electrical output of the ADVANCED TASER.
March 2000 – First Canadian use of ADVANCED TASER ever by Victoria Police with
success against kick boxer in psychiatric lockdown.
May 2000 – Certified TASER Instructor courses reached its highest average of 15 times
per month hosted by law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S.
June 2000 – Philadelphia Police trained for ADVANCED TASER use at Republican
National Convention.
July 2000 – Sacramento Police trained for full deployment of 500 ADVANCED TASERs
August 2000 – Albuquerque City Council funds for full deployment of over 400
ADVANCED TASERs. LAPD and LA Sheriffs deploy ADVANCED TASERs for

Democratic National Convention. A forensic specialist, Dr. Robert Goldberg, JD, MD,
reviewed the ADVANCED TASER medical information, endorses the safety and the use
of the ADVANCED TASER.
October 2000 – The first international ADVANCED TASER instructor’s conference
hosted in Scottsdale, AZ, with attendance by Albuquerque, Chandler, Glendale, National
City and Vancouver police, LA County Sheriff’s patrol and custody divisions, Royal
Canadian Mounted Police, and the Swedish National Police Superintendent. M26 mounted
under M16 and demo’ed by U.S. Marine Corps to General Staff and Secretary of Defense
staff.
November 2000 – Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Police Department fully
deploys the ADVANCED TASER to all patrol members.
December 2000 – Secondary Air Cartridge holder accessory available. Over 2,000
volunteers have tested the ADVANCED TASER. There are 505 law enforcement agencies
deploying and/or testing the M26. 179 documented field uses of the ADVANCED TASER
provided to TASER International, not including numerous Canadian and Los Angeles
County Sheriff’s patrol division and other agencies’ uses.
January 2001 – Company begins sales of secondary Air Cartridge holder.
March 2001 – Over 600 law enforcement agencies deploy and/or test the ADVANCED
TASER.
April 2001 – Company recommends Energizer® nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries.
May 2001 -- Company files IPO and is public traded on NASDAQ under TASRU. Over
750 law enforcement agencies test and/or deploy the ADVANCED TASER. Company
holds it second annual International Instructor's conference in Las Vegas.
June 2001 -- Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announce purchase of
ADVANCED TASERs. 30-days after IPO, TASRU splits into separate shares and
warrants called: TASR (stock) and TASRW (warrant) on the NASDAQ. Karl Walter is
hired as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
September 2001 – Company announces that ADVANCED TASER M26s are available to
aviation security following the September 11th World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.
October 2001 -- Mesa Airlines announced that it intends to pursue ADVANCED TASERs
for cockpit security.
November 2001 -- United Airlines announced that it intends pursue the use of
ADVANCED TASERs for cockpit security. Company announces that 1,000 law
enforcement agencies deploy or test the ADVANCED TASER. Company wins the Cible
Magazine’s award for “Cible D’Or” as best security product in France. The award was
presented to TASER International today during the MILIPOL Paris Exposition (military
and police).
December 2001 -- Los Angeles Police Department purchased 500 ADVANCED TASERs.
United Airlines purchases 1300 ADVANCED TASERs unit for cockpit security.
January 2002 – The Company announces consumer push for sales of ADVANCED
TASERs.

February 2002 – The Company wins the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriff’s
(ALADs) Harry Benton Green Civilian Leadership Award. Sgt. Michael Estrada and seven
other Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies were recognized by ALADS with Exemplary
Performance awards for quick thinking and teamwork in subduing a subject following Sgt.
Estrada’s successful deployment of the ADVANCED TASER during a suicide attempt on
top of a Metro Blue Line bridge on June 23, 2001. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department (LASD) purchased 292 additional ADVANCED TASERs.
March 2002 – Korean Airlines purchases ADVANCED TASERs for aircraft security.

Key Personnel:

Patrick (Rick) Smith – Co-Founder & CEO
Thomas (Tom) Smith – Co-Founder & President
Phil Smith – Chairman of the Board
Stephen Tuttle – Director of Government, Public & Law Enforcement Affairs
Stacie Sundberg – Vice President of US Sales
Kathy Hanrahan – CFO
GySgt (Ret.) Hans Marrero – Chief Instructor
Jami Hill – Training Coordinator
Milan Cerovic – Lead Engineer
Clay Winn – U.S. Service & Field Rep

Corporate Office:

Location: 7860 E. McClain Dr., Suite 2, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85260-1627
Phone Number: 800-2737 or 480-991-0797
Fax Number: 480-991-0791
Web Site: www.TASER.com

For more Info call:

Stephen Tuttle, Director of Government, Public & Law Enforcement Affairs, at 480-9052006 or 800-978-2737 ext. 2006 or Steve@TASER.com for further assistance.