It emerged last week that the Met plans to issue Tasers to police officers that are not trained to use firearms. Coincidentally, an UN comity declares that these weapons are a form of torture (see http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22814674-23109,00.html ).

Recently too, a number of stories emerged regarding idiotic use of these weapons: in Leeds, for example, a man was tasered because he failed to respond to police orders. You may wonder why he would do that, eh? Well, it turns out that he was in a diabetic coma (Good job he didn't snore too, they might have nuked him!). The police officers will not be prosecuted.

This is consistent with a worldwide trend: 275 people died in the US because of these Tasers, 17 died in Canada, and we'd better get used to it here.

While nobody here would argue that there is some value in police officers carrying less-lethal weapons, as there are many situations where they could save lives, one may wonder about the disappearance of check and balances: in Leeds, we see that our justice system is deficient - that officers can tase a man in a coma and get away with it is obscene.

If there is a chance, I would like to know David's opinion about this trend, and what can possibly be done to ensure that those that are obviously innocent (and possibly helpless) do not suffer this type of outrage.

Thanks!

Three weeks and still no answer.

I guess we can all conclude where David stands on this one.

We can learn from the states, where the Taser was introduced as a weapon of last resort before a firearm. It is now used as a weapon of convenience under the term "pain compliance". There are numerous aggrieved people who have put videos on YouTube showing officers at no personal risk whatsoever are using the Taser, even on pregnant women.

How long before we see the first Taser death in the Met area?

Any takers anyone?

Jr2's link

I have seen the police using pepper spray. They pinned an exited young lad on the road outside a local pub. Put cuffs on him with no problem then with two of then kneeling on his arms and back one of them got his spray out and squirted it point plank into the lads face. Other onlookers were shocked and voiced complaint. The paddy wagon was called and at least six were carted of.

Tasers cause pain, I've been zapped many times by 26kv it scares the beggabers out of you, it is not nice and its not fun. Giving free use to gung ho coppers is not a good thing in my opinion.

Whilst this is clearly not the right way to use the weapon, and these officers should be punished and trained as to when it is deemed necessary to use this weapon.

Though I also deem the shooting of Ian Broadhurst in Leeds in 2003 as obscene. If just one of the 3 officers has been carrying either a gun or a taser, Ian Broadhurst would most likely still be with us today and his children would not have to grow up without a father.

Obviously there has to be rules but whilst they are increasing levels of armed crimes, we have to give our police the means to protect themselves and if it seems tasers are better than guns then so be it.