Here are three stories from Australia.
Taser trial defended amid torture claimsShannon Molloy | November 29, 2007 - 5:02AM
Queensland Police have defended the trial of taser stun guns in the wake of a United Nations committee statement likening the devices to 'torture'.
Following a number of reported deaths overseas in recent weeks, Brisbane-based criminal defence lawyer Michael Bosscher yesterday called on Queensland Police to cease their trial of tasers.
Mr Bosscher said at least four people worldwide had died recently after being stunned by tasers, which raised "serious safety questions" about the use of the devices in Queensland.
Police also needed to take notice of the UN's Convention Against Torture committee, which this week labelled tasers a form of torture, he said.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said it was inappropriate to comment on research and articles about tasers without first considering the information, but said appropriate research and documentation would be examined as part of the trial evaluation process.
Acting Superintendent Bob Waugh said tasers had been used by police at 93 incidents and deployed 52 times since the trial period began in July.
Their use was to resolve dangerous situations without injury, and the results had "proved very promising", he said.
"On 41 occasions, police have issued warnings that a taser was about to be deployed and each time the person surrendered to officers without the device being discharged," Acting Superintendent Waugh said.
"The use of a taser in each of these cases has prevented injury to the offender, arresting officers or other members of the public."
However, Mr Bosscher said he feared tasers could become part of the standard weapons fit for police in Queensland following the trial.
"Tasers could be just as lethal as a gun," Mr Bosscher said.
"The UN committee said the use of these weapons causes acute pain (and) constitute a form of torture and studies showed the taser was dangerous and can cause death."
Canadian authorities recently announced an official review of the use of tasers which signalled potential issues with the devices, he said.
Acting Superintendent Waugh said so far in the Queensland Police trial, the use of a taser had not resulted in an offender requiring medical treatment.
A thorough evaluation of the trial and of each of the deployments would be conducted to determine the effectiveness of the taser for policing in Queensland, he said.
However Mr Bosscher said questions remained whether officers had been thoroughly trained on the use of tasers.
"Would they use a taser on a drunken nightclub reveller? Or against someone at a domestic incident at a home?
"What are the restrictions on use and who is monitoring their use to make sure the use of tasers is not abused?"
A Queensland Police spokeswoman declined to comment on the issue of monitoring taser usage.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-police-defend-taser-trial/2007/11/28/1196036978205.html
Australian police to use Tasersby Dale Mills
NSW Police are conducting a trial preparatory to the introduction of Tasers by Australian police. Tasers are hand-held stun guns that fire two metal probes attached to copper wires, delivering a 55,000-volt electric shock that lasts for five seconds.
Victims typically fall to the ground and involuntarily urinate, with all major muscle groups going into spasm. The guns have an effective range of 6.4 metres, with the possibility that inaccurate shooting will hit bystanders.
The new Public Order and Riot Squad will trial the Tasers for six months, according to the February 7 Sydney Morning Herald. The squad was set up on January 1 and is part of the Counter-Terrorism and Public Order unit. If the trial is successful, police minister Carl Scully said, Tasers will be issued to police on general duties.
Premier Morris Iemma said, “We are giving this specialist squad the equipment they need to crack down on criminals and troublemakers”. Being a “troublemaker” is not against the law in NSW.
Iemma added that the stun guns could also be used against individuals “committing serious civil disobedience or serious criminality”.
Chief Superintendent Peter Gillam said the trial Tasers will be used only when there was the “highest level of disobedience”. He added, “It may be an opportunity in these sorts of events to isolate ringleaders [who] need to be removed from the situation”.
A 2004 CBS News report counted more than 40 deaths related to the use of Tasers in the United States. Many of those who died following the use of Tasers had been electrocuted several times with the device. Since 2000, at least five different medical examiners in the US have listed Tasers as a factor in the cause of death.
A study by a senior cardiologist, Arch Broughton, at the Alfred Hospital in Victoria, found that Tasers could cause injury by the electrical barbs disrupting heart pacemakers. Other risks include fractures or head injuries caused by victims suddenly collapsing.
A 2005 report by Amnesty International states that there were 103 Taser-related deaths in the US and Canada between June 2001 and March 2005. Amnesty was also able to examine reports provided by Taser International Inc, which manufactures the weapon, showing that Tasers were used by police officers against children, people who were already restrained and physically disabled individuals. They were also used against distressed individuals, instead of assistance from mental health professionals.
Taser International denies that being stunned can result in death or permanent injury, saying that trials on dogs and pigs have been satisfactory.
Responding to the announcement of the trial, NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said: “There is no independent research showing Tasers are safe but a lot of hard evidence that they kill ... NSW Police introduced capsicum spray as a self-defence tool but before long it was turned into another police weapon. We don’t want a repeat of that trend. The government should ban Tasers from our streets, not expand their use.”
A police spokesperson has confirmed that the use of water cannon is also being considered by the NSW Police public order management committee, according to the February 8 Daily Telegraph.
http://webdiary.com.au/cms/?q=node/1249
Police SRS team adopts TasersFriday, 18 August 2006
CT Policing has announced that the Taser X26 Electrical Incapacitant has been accepted as a permanent use-of-force option for members of its Specialist Response and Security (SRS) team.
The AFP’s Operational Safety Committee has approved the use of the Taser X26 as a genuine less-than-lethal force option available to police following an operational trial which began in November 2004.
Use of the Taser X26 is limited to members of the Specialist Response and Security Team Tactical Response Team (SRS-TR), all of whom have undergone specialist training in the use of the weapon. ACT Policing has a total of six Tasers available for deployment.
Chief Police Officer of the ACT, Audrey Fagan, said that the Taser X26 had proven to be very effective in assisting police in the rapid de-escalation of very violent or volatile situations.
“The Taser X26 supplements our existing less-than-lethal-force options which include chemical munitions (Oleoresin Capsicum Spray) or impact weapons such as a baton and are a safer alternative than a firearm. SRS members are highly trained in all use-of-force options, and must follow strict guidelines governing the use of the Taser,” CPO Fagan said.
“Police always seek to de-escalate conflict by way of negotiation. However, in some instances it is necessary to use an appropriate amount of force to bring an incident to a safe and successful conclusion. The Taser allows police to do just that.”
ACT Policing has taken the Taser X26 into the operational environment more than 400 times since November 2004, and the weapon has been used on nine occasions. These uses can be categorised as drawn (2 occasions), aimed (4 occasions) and discharged (3 occasions).
Since the Taser X26 was approved for use by SRS-TR members, there have been no injuries or adverse effects sustained by the subjects or police.
“Recovery from the effects of the Taser is instant, and it enables police to safely arrest a person and prevent them from doing further harm to themselves, members of the public or police,” CPO Fagan added.
https://www.afp.gov.au/media_releases/act/2006/police_srs_team_adopts_tasers.html
