When it was first proposed in 2008, the plan to issue Taser guns to the New South Wales police force came with many promises to control their use. One of these was to link the protocol that follows any use of a Taser with the protocol that applies to the firing of a police hand gun.
When a police pistol is fired for any reason, an investigation swings into play. The gun is confiscated for forensic examination and investigators from another division of the police force set up an enquiry to examine all aspects of the incident. As a result, police will only open fire in exceptionally dangerous circumstances - and in the full knowledge that their actions will be the subject of an extensive enquiry.
This weekend a person died on a Sydney street after he was first hit with capsicum spray, and then shot with a Taser pistol. The question that needs to be asked - is whether the police would have considered using a firearm in these circumstances - and if not - then why was a Taser used ?
The Taser was supposed to be a less deadly alternative to a police firearm, but by that reasoning, it should only be used when the danger to both police and the public is so great that use of a firearm is a reasonable alternative. It is hard to see that this was appropriate in the Sydney weekend shooting.
There was a report that a Sydney convenience store had been robbed - but it seems that there were few details and this was not an armed robbery. A person fitting the description was tracked by cctv through city streets and when police swooped - he resisted arrest. Firstly, capsicum spray was used - and then he was shot - fatally - with a Taser.
Opponents of Tasers warned when this weapon was approved that it would quickly become the weapon of choice to overcome those who even mildly resisted police. Instead of using batons and getting physically involved, police would find it more convenient to use their Taser guns to subdue suspects - and that is precisely what has happened.
The figures on Taser use are damning. In 2008 the record shows they were used just 126 times - but in 2010 that use had jumped to a staggering 1200 times !
A police firearm does not kill on every occasion it is fired. In many cases, it delivers a wound and the victim survives. Obviously, the Taser is not as deadly as the pistol, but it is still a potentially lethal weapon and it should only be used when the choice is between either weapon.
It is hard to see the police even considering firing their pistol in the events that resulted in death in Sydney this weekend.
It is time that the rules on Taser use are tightened up, and it would be a very good idea to require precisely the same procedure to follow the use of a Taser as now applies when a police firearm is used.
That was the original promise - and it was not honoured !
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