Mounties To Curb Taser Use After Report

Three Recent Deaths Prompted Canadian Police To Take A Closer Look At Their Taser Policy

(AP)  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Friday that it will restrict its use of Taser stun guns in response to a watchdog agency report that officers were firing them too often.

Three people have died recently in Canada after being shocked by Tasers.

The police force said it will more clearly define the type of behavior that would prompt an officer to use a Taser, limiting it to situations where "a subject is displaying combative behaviors or is being actively resistant."

The previous policy allowed officers to use a Taser when a suspect's behavior was deemed threatening.

"The RCMP recognizes the need to take action on the issues raised in the report and is committed to making immediate improvements in a number of areas," RCMP Commissioner William Elliott said.

The police use of Tasers came under review after the three recent deaths.

Robert Dziekanski died on Oct. 14 after police zapped him with a stun gun. Police said they used the Taser after he began acting erratically at an airport. Dziekanski, an immigrant who spoke only Polish, had apparently become upset after waiting for 10 hours at the airport for his mother, who was supposed to pick him up. His death brought international attention and intense criticism after video of the incident was released.

Last month, a 36-year-old British Columbia resident died four days after the province's police used a Taser on him because, they said, he was acting erratically in a store.

A Nova Scotia man died the same week, 30 hours after being shocked with the Taser by Halifax police at a jail where he was being held on assault charges. Police said he became violent as he was being booked, jumped the counter at police headquarters, sprang past officers and bolted for the door before one of the officers fired 5,000 volts from a Taser into his thigh.

More than a dozen people have died in Canada after being hit with Tasers in the last four years, according to Amnesty International. However, the Arizona-based manufacturer of Taser guns, Taser International Inc., says the devices have never been conclusively linked to any deaths in Canada.

Some 2,800 Tasers are being used by more than 9,100 RCMP members across the country and Mounties have fired the electronic guns over 3,000 times since their introduction in December 2001.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day last month asked Paul Kennedy, head of the Commission for Complaints Against the RCMP, to look at how the force uses the electronic guns, which can be fired from a distance of several yards or applied at close range.

Kennedy released a 53-page report that said Tasers should only be used when suspects are "combative" or pose a risk of "death or grievous bodily harm," to themselves or others.

Kennedy said Taser use "has expanded to include subduing resistant subjects who do not pose a threat of grievous bodily harm or death and on whom the use of lethal force would not be an option."

He said Taser restrictions should apply in cases of so-called "excited delirium," in which suspects are agitated and have a highly accelerated heart rate. Excited delirium has been repeatedly blamed for sudden deaths after Tasers were used.

The document stopped short of calling for a moratorium on the stun guns.

[runningralph]

There''s no reason why a policeman should take a chance on being injured by a raving lunatic. Job safety is the number one priority in the workplace.
The Mounties should be OK with giving up the tasers. They can go back to using their handguns. BOOM! Problem solved. Go home in one piece.

[excoachken]

Don''t "Throw the baby out with the bathwater." If the weapon has been misused, punish the misuser and make sure others receive the proper training. Being a cop is too difficult without providing them with an effective, non-lethal (when used correctly) device.

[runningralph]

excoachken,
The cops already have a non-lethal device called a billy club, but if they hit a freaked out wierdo with it they will be sued. Remember Rodney King? There is only one way to use a taser as far as I can see. You point it and pull the trigger. Even a billy club can kill someone. A woman in Pheonix was killed by handcuffs. You got any suggestions?

[erasmus6]

The tasers should have more than one setting so they can be set lower.

[libsluvsuvs]

Three people have died recently in Canada after being shocked by Tasers....More than a dozen people have died in Canada after being hit with Tasers in the last four years, according to Amnesty International.the famous RCMP will pretty much learn to contain a suspect with ''PRETTY PLEASE''

Amnesty International?? I have an idea let the islamic terrorists police that shi*thole..then every tactic every weapon used is A-OK..


***************

wow!! that is an astronomical figure considering there are millions and millions of people in canada..well pretty much

[toolmangler-2009]

Star Treks stun guns(phasers) had mutiple settings, why can''t the real life ones?

[mcv57]

Looks like the Canadians have more common sense then the American law enforcement agency. These taser guns are very dangereous and they kill. Since when do redneck, gunho, dirty *** cops going to reset his gun . . . they are trigger happy to begin with.

[mcv57]

On another page, did you folks hear the latest on the Peterson Case. This COP Peterson is better than most Con men. Last week he publicly announced that he was creating a website for donation for his legal fees ($5 - $250). On FOX news, it was revealed that SOB Peterson funneled $250,000.00 weeks after his wife was reported missing - he secretly transfered it to his son. This DIRTY ROTTEN COP knows all the tricks of the trade.

[toolmangler-2009]

How many people know about Tasers? 80% how many lawbreakers know about Tasers? 100%
how many lawbreakers think they can handle a tasering? 100%

You can''t cure stupid!

[feelfree1]

These torture devices have already kille around 300 people.

They sould be banned outright.

[toolmangler-2009]

These taser guns are very dangereous and they kill. Since when do redneck, gunho, dirty *** cops going to reset his gun . . . they are trigger happy to begin with.
Posted by mcv57 at 01:38 PM : Dec 15, 2007


So, all cops are "redneck, gunho, dirty *** cops" is that right? I think that if I were a lawbreaker I would rather the cop pull his Taser than to pull his Smith & Wesson if he felt threatened by me.

[kindrox]

*** cops going to reset his gun . . . they are trigger happy to begin with.

One thing I cannot stand is videos showing cops setting up people to taser them. You can tell the officers in these videos are confident the incident will not be officially reviewed, and their conduct reflects it.

Taser incidents should be reviewed just like shootings, and I bet most taser happy cops would get some restraint.

[feelfree1]

ToolMangler,

Re: "I think that if I were a lawbreaker I would rather the cop pull his Taser than to pull his Smith & Wesson if he felt threatened by me."

This is a false choice. Tasers are used far more liberally than guns by officials.

We have seen cowardly cops use a Taser on children under 10 years old.

Are you going to tell me that if these abusive officers did not have a Taser, that their only logical option was to put a bullet in the head of a young child?

[myidoncbs]

"The previous policy allowed officers to use a Taser when a suspect''s behavior was deemed threatening."

"Threatening"-- that''s the standard the gun nuts want us to believe they should use to determine that they have a "right" to kill-- any time THEY feel "threatened". The BIG problem with that standard is that the gun nuts are such pu$$ies that they feel "threatened" all the time. Just ask them! They claim that, several hundred times every day, they are "threatened" and they wave their guns around to "protect" themselves, without firing a shot. (The truth is, if waving your gun around is enough to dissuade someone from attacking you, then they weren''t much of a threat in the first place!)

Getting hit by a taser is better than being hit by a bullet from a gun, but since a taser can also kill, it should not be used unless absolutely necessary. The problem with tasers in cops'' hands is that bullies (which is what many cops are) think they can use them with impunity to control and intimidate their victims, and the results are disasterous.

I commend the Canadians for taking a step to reduce the excessive use of tasers.

[incog-nito]

Why don''t manufacturers experiment with lower voltages, to where the chance of killing is greatly lessened or eliminated? Even if a lower setting doesn''t totally disable someone immediately, it would probably still be enough to slow him down to where either police can cuff him or fire another taser shot if necessary. I''ve looked at various makes of tasers and stun guns, and they have a wide range of different voltages.

[rudy654-2009]

You can''''t cure stupid! Posted by ToolMangler at 03:07 PM

We can always hope that you will be cured.

[erasmus6]

Posted by MyIDonCBS at 08:47 PM : Dec 15, 2007

Great post. I don''t think there has been a time where I haven''t agreed with everything you have said. Everything you say is exactly what I think, only you say it so much better.

[erasmus6]

You can''''''''t cure stupid! Posted by ToolMangler at 03:07 PM

"We can always hope that you will be cured." posted by rudy634


rudy, rudy, rudy. Leave ToolMangler ALONE. No one is allowed to call ToolMangler stupid, but ME. Geez.

[erasmus6]

ToolMangler

It''s okay, you don''t need to thank me.:)

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by erasmus6 at 01:11 PM : Dec 15, 2007

Don''''t get your ''''bustle'''' in an uproar, We still have plenty to disagree about.

Posted by ToolMangler at 03:17 PM : Dec 16, 2007

======================


"On that! We can agree!!" Posted by ToolMangler at 01:07 PM : Dec 15, 2007

REALLY? WOW!

Posted by erasmus6 at 01:11 PM : Dec 15, 2007

[toolmangler-2009]

Are you going to tell me that if these abusive officers did not have a Taser, that their only logical option was to put a bullet in the head of a young child?

Posted by FeelFree1 at 03:33 PM : Dec 15, 2007



That makes as much sense as strapping Bombs to children in the name of "Allah" to kill many other children.

[kindrox]

Here is another boob who felt "threatend" by two guys who broke into his house and began beating him up:

http://www.kansas.com/news/updates/story/255103.html

Completely outrageously, he might get away with shooting the home invaders under the guise of %u201Cself defense%u201D.

We must outlaw self defense NOW. Innocent criminals are being injured every day and in many jurisdictions the justice system does nothing to the horrible citizen.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by kindrox at 04:53 PM : Dec 16, 2007



FIVES!!

[erasmus6]

ToolMangler

"We still have plenty to disagree about."

Of that, I have no doubt!:)


"Don''''''''t get your ''''''''bustle'''''''' in an uproar..."

Geez, I hate to tell you this, but the "bustle" went our of style MANY years ago. I wasn''''t even born yet. Posted by erasmus6 at 05:15 PM : Dec 16, 2007

[toolmangler-2009]

Geez, I hate to tell you this, but the "bustle" went our of style MANY years ago. I wasn''''''''t even born yet. Posted by erasmus6 at 05:15 PM : Dec 16, 2007

Posted by erasmus6 at 05:18 PM : Dec 16, 2007


Bustle is a euphemism for bowels. I prefer not to be vulgar if I can avoid it.

[erasmus6]

"Bustle is a euphemism for bowels. I prefer not to be vulgar if I can avoid it." posted by ToolMangler

It is??? I thought you meant the pillow thing that women used to put under the back part of their dress in the old days.