RCMP Taser use recommendations

[longsuffering]

The head of the RCMP's public complaints commission recommends that the use of tasers to be restricted to only the most serious encounters with people who are combative or pose a risk of “death or grievous bodily harm”.

Among his recommendations:


• reclassify the taser as an “impact weapon” rather than an “intermediate” device such as pepper spray, which changes how officers use it according to the RCMP's use of force model. In other words, the taser should only be used in situations where a person is being “combative” or poses a risk of “death or grievous bodily harm” to the officer, themselves or the general public.


• change the RCMP's taser training program to reflect its status as an impact weapon


• require recertification in taser use every two years


• require and enforce stricter reporting requirements every time a taser is used


• creation of an RCMP national “use-of-force” co-ordinator to oversee policies, techniques and equipment

He also notes that “The most powerful asset in a police officer's arsenal is public support. Anything that erodes that support reduces the ability of officers to successfully perform their duties on behalf of the public,” Mr. Kennedy said.

All in all, in my opinion the recommendations are reasonable.



You can read the full G&M article here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../BNStory/Front

[Azure]

IMO, if a police officer sees the need to use a taser....he should also the need to use his firearm....should a taser not be present.

In other words....I think the taser should be used as a weapon to avoid having to 'kill' or fire upon whoever is posing an 'extreme' threat.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Azure

IMO, if a police officer sees the need to use a taser....he should also the need to use his firearm....should a taser not be present.

In other words....I think the taser should be used as a weapon to avoid having to 'kill' or fire upon whoever is posing an 'extreme' threat.

An officer can use a baton on someone who is being combative but not their sidearm. Do you not think it appropriate that a taser cannot be used in the same situation?

I actually see no problem with re-classifying the taser as an impact weapon. But if you want to change it to leathal force, than you might aswell get rid of the thing because an officer will most certainly go for their firearm over a taser in those situations especialy if there is only one officer present.

[metallicat]

I have zero problem with police using the Taser as a compliance weapon. Ever see that COPS episode where the massive guy wouldn't put his hands behind his back? They hit him with the Taser, and he was more than willing to cooperate after that.

I don't think the Taser is an unsafe weapon. The few deaths are all that we see in the news, rather than the countless times it is used with no lasting effects.

You can't just tell a police officer to use a Taser instead of his firearm. What if the Taser malfunctions? Or what if the prongs miss, or don't attach to the suspect properly? You don't bring a Taser to a gun fight.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

An officer can use a baton on someone who is being combative but not their sidearm. Do you not think it appropriate that a taser cannot be used in the same situation?

I actually see no problem with re-classifying the taser as an impact weapon. But if you want to change it to leathal force, than you might aswell get rid of the thing because an officer will most certainly go for their firearm over a taser in those situations especialy if there is only one officer present.

I probably made the wrong analogy.

Usually when a police officer would opt to use a firearm....someone with the ability to shoot back is seen as the threat....of course the police officer would want to shoot back.

Classifying it as an impact weapon is probably the best way to go.

There are some positives to take from all these recent taser incidents. The public now knows what 'can' happen, so hopefully compliance with the police will result.

How does reclassifying it actually change it's intended use? I don't get that one. In the case of the RCMP use of force model, tasers are already a step below lethal force.

As for the recommendation that they should only be used in lethal force or GBH encounters, I would hope that any trained police officer would find his/her taser faaaaaaar down the list behind his/her firearm in such a situation.

[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Bent Wookie

How does reclassifying it actually change it's intended use? I don't get that one. In the case of the RCMP use of force model, tasers are already a step below lethal force.

As for the recommendation that they should only be used in lethal force or GBH encounters, I would hope that any trained police officer would find his/her taser faaaaaaar down the list behind his/her firearm in such a situation.

From my understanding of the recommendations was a simple move from Resistant behavoir to combative. But I agree like I posted above that if it is only intended for death or GBH then there is no point in having it.

[arsenal]

Do we know for a fact that the recent deaths where from being tased, and tased alone?
In the case at the vancouver airport, do we know that he died from the actual act of being tased, or was it the RCMP officer's foot on his neck that cut off is air supply?
The taser is a safer way to bring down suspects. The other options are gun or club.

[4X4]

I just don't understand why they don't invent a weapon that can safely protect perps from their own agressive and confrontational actions?

[Phaneuf3]

sorry for the bump but this seemed to fit too well....

http://www.youtube.com/v/ppjFalU7ZpI

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

sorry for the bump but this seemed to fit too well....

http://www.youtube.com/v/ppjFalU7ZpI

Does laughing at that make me a horrible human being. Because I did, and I am.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by Locke

Does laughing at that make me a horrible human being. Because I did, and I am.

i dunno - but laughing at this might: