"Begg, who served 23 years in the RCMP, said Canadian policing has traditionally been more community-based than U.S. policing, which relies heavily on the use of force.
He pointed out the Taser was approved for use in B.C. in 2000 for situations where a suspect was violent, aggressive or armed.
Begg is concerned that in recent years Tasers are being used in lower-risk situations -- "slippage," he called it.his is not how the government originally envisioned and endorsed the use of Tasers," he told inquiry commissioner Thomas Braidwood, a retired appeal court judge.
He said Tasers should not be a compliance tool, but should be moved up the use-of-force continuum for assaultive and combative behaviour.
Outside the inquiry, Begg told reporters there appears to be a gap that needs to be filled in policing by clearly defining when Tasers can be used.
"What I'm concerned about is that it's [the threshold for Taser use] been slipping down," he said.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...e-197b389806a2