An interim report on Taser Use released by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC) today has made 10 recommendations for immediate implementation.
Here are two important highlights:
Recommendation 1: RCMP immediately restrict the use of the Taser by classifying it as an "impact weapon" in the use of force model (allowing use only in those situations where an individual is behaving in a "combative" manner or posing a risk of "death or grievous bodily harm" to the officer, themselves or the general public.
Recommendation 2: In situations where an individual appears to be experiencing the condition(s) of excited delirium that the RCMP only use the Taser when the behaviour is also combative or poses a risk of death or grievous bodily harm to the officer, the individual or the general public.
Read the Executive Summary and the full recommendations online.
In the past four years in North America more than 150 people have died after receiving a discharged shock from a Taser weapon. There is some debate about the cause of these deaths but it remains a fact that these deaths would not have occurred if not immediately preceded by the tasering.
I think we need to understand this correlation better before allowing their continued use on the Canadian public.
Right now in Canada a Taser can be used in any situation, on any person (including children, the mentally handicapped, pregnant women or people who are already handcuffed), for any period of time - with no need to justify its repeated use.
I believe our police forces in Canada operate at a high standard of integrity. However people do make mistakes, some people use bad judgment and some people will abuse the power they have to use these weapons - like in the case of Malaika Brooks who at eight months pregnant was tasered multiple times by american police for refusing to sign a traffic ticket - especially when the guidelines of such use are not clear.
Tasers are not safe pieces of kit. Staff Sgt. Sherstan, (RCMP Emergency Response Team in Edmonton) says that Tasers should not be considered non-lethal – but a "less-lethal alternative" to using a firearm in situations where the use of said firearm is authorized.
I think we should suspend using Tasers in Canada until we have:
