B.C. Taser inquiry report released

[bcb]

Originally Posted by Jayems

I agree. In this case, there was no intent to kill him. If there was, the police would be facing murder charges.

I agree. However, their duties also include protecting themselves and others. If there is a threat, they have to deal with that and sometimes force is needed. IMO, using lethal force would have been rolling in, guns blazing and shooting him dead. Whether the taser was justified or not, I don't really want to get into that because I don't know. But they used 'less-lethal' methods. Semantics? Maybe. Depends on how lethal you think a taser is. Personal opinion, I suppose.

Right, but if no one around can speak Polish, how can communication barriers be overcome? Probably not by a taser, but he likely wouldn't have been tased if he wasn't acting so aggressive and posing a threat. But this is where the whole argument of if he was helped before, it wouldn't have escalated to this degree. True. But then you can just go back and argue he should look after himself. Followed by a rebuttal that he wasn't mentally fit. .... and on and on.

When I said "capital crime", it was a bit of a hyperbole. What I meant to say was that he didn't deserve to die over chucking furniture. I know the police weren't intentionally gunning for him.

The whole point of this inquiry is to make proper recommendations regarding the use of tasers. Hopefully if police have clear and defined limits, they can do their job without fear of repercussions.

Regarding a translator present, I originally though I read there was one there, but I can't find that article. But regardless, if the police are well trained, this should not be the outcome due to lack of translator.

[Jayems]

Originally Posted by bcb

When I said "capital crime", it was a bit of a hyperbole. What I meant to say was that he didn't deserve to die over chucking furniture. I know the police weren't intentionally gunning for him.

The whole point of this inquiry is to make proper recommendations regarding the use of tasers. Hopefully if police have clear and defined limits, they can do their job without fear of repercussions.

Regarding a translator present, I originally though I read there was one there, but I can't find that article. But regardless, if the police are well trained, this should not be the outcome due to lack of translator.

I completely agree.

[Boblobla]

Originally Posted by fatso

Boblobla, do you actually read things or just chime in with whatever you're thinking?

The judge didn't condemn tasers. He just said what many of us have argued - the threshold for their application is too low right now and the police (and public) need to better informed to their use. Seems pretty reasonable to me, even if you disagree with his findings.

I usually give it a quick skim and then chime in whatever I am thinking.

[MJM]

I'm no fan of the CPS, but cases like this one absolutely sicken me. A ranting maniac comes into a foreign country throwing chairs, computers, tables,etc., and the cops are getting crapped on for using tasers. The man got exactly what he was asking for (not that he should have died over it, but he deserved every tase he got). He could have seriously injured a cop, and was definitely an immediate threat to their safety. In most of the countries in the world, this man would have been shot dead without so much as a blink of an eye from law enforcement if he pulled that crap at an airport.

The language excuse is crap too. I've been to several other countries that don't speak my language, but I know how to act, and if confronted by local authority i'd damn back down and be calm regardless if I didn't understand what they were saying.

Any enquiry into this is nothing but a waste of my tax dollars.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by MJM

I'm no fan of the CPS, but cases like this one absolutely sicken me. A ranting maniac comes into a foreign country throwing chairs, computers, tables,etc., and the cops are getting crapped on for using tasers. The man got exactly what he was asking for (not that he should have died over it, but he deserved every tase he got). He could have seriously injured a cop, and was definitely an immediate threat to their safety. In most of the countries in the world, this man would have been shot dead without so much as a blink of an eye from law enforcement if he pulled that crap at an airport.

Any enquiry into this is nothing but a waste of my tax dollars.

Fortunately there are many in the country that disagree with you. I think this is the kind of thing that our tax dollars SHOULD be going to. When someone dies needlessly, we should be looking at ways to stop it from happening again.

At what point was any cop in any danger of being seriously injured? Forget cops... at what point was this guy a danger to ANYONE AT ALL? Yes, he threw a temper tantrum, but does that warrant the use of a dangerous weapon that could cause death? I think not.

If I understand this forum correctly, "throwing a computer on the ground deserves a taser hit which could cause death" while "driving drunk is a commonplace whatever". People do stupid things that they regret. This guy was throwing things on the ground. He didn't deserve to die for it. Personally, in my book what this guy was doing was less warranting of punishment than driving drunk.... .

[MJM]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

Fortunately there are many in the country that disagree with you. I think this is the kind of thing that our tax dollars SHOULD be going to. When someone dies needlessly, we should be looking at ways to stop it from happening again.

At what point was any cop in any danger of being seriously injured? Forget cops... at what point was this guy a danger to ANYONE AT ALL? Yes, he threw a temper tantrum, but does that warrant the use of a dangerous weapon that could cause death? I think not.

If I understand this forum correctly, "throwing a computer on the ground deserves a taser hit which could cause death" while "driving drunk is a commonplace whatever". People do stupid things that they regret. This guy was throwing things on the ground. He didn't deserve to die for it. Personally, in my book what this guy was doing was less warranting of punishment than driving drunk.... .

He did needlessly DUE TO HIS OWN ACTIONS though. Crappy deal, but it was something that was completely within his control.

And yes, throwing chairs and computers around with officers around trying to calm is down is putting people at risk. He could have hurt those officers or airport staff, or the situation could have escalated even more. The use of the taser was perfectly acceptible. It's too bad the guy died, but that's the risk he took.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by MJM

The man got exactly what he was asking for (not that he should have died over it, but he deserved every tase he got).

He deserved to be tasered 5 times?

Btw what did he have that would have threatened the lives of those RCMP officers?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by bcb

When I said "capital crime", it was a bit of a hyperbole. What I meant to say was that he didn't deserve to die over chucking furniture. I know the police weren't intentionally gunning for him.

The whole point of this inquiry is to make proper recommendations regarding the use of tasers. Hopefully if police have clear and defined limits, they can do their job without fear of repercussions.

Regarding a translator present, I originally though I read there was one there, but I can't find that article. But regardless, if the police are well trained, this should not be the outcome due to lack of translator.

Particularly police who work at an international airport where they are exposed to thousands of people who come from countries where English in not generally spoken. These cops acted no better than some rookie cop on the street who's only exposure to someone from another country is when they ordering chinese food from the local take-out.

This is a black eye on the RCMP and their training. These guys acted no better than what you would expect in some third world country.

I will never look at an RCMP officer the same way as I did before this incident occurred. I always considered that the average RCMP officer was of a higher standard than your average beat cop. My illusions have been shattered.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by MJM

I'm no fan of the CPS, but cases like this one absolutely sicken me. A ranting maniac comes into a foreign country throwing chairs, computers, tables,etc., and the cops are getting crapped on for using tasers. The man got exactly what he was asking for (not that he should have died over it, but he deserved every tase he got). He could have seriously injured a cop, and was definitely an immediate threat to their safety. In most of the countries in the world, this man would have been shot dead without so much as a blink of an eye from law enforcement if he pulled that crap at an airport.

The language excuse is crap too. I've been to several other countries that don't speak my language, but I know how to act, and if confronted by local authority i'd damn back down and be calm regardless if I didn't understand what they were saying.

Any enquiry into this is nothing but a waste of my tax dollars.