If there is misuse that must be addressed, but overtly emotive language and claims of torture are ridiculous if they are being used correctly.

While we maintain lethal force as an option for police, correct use of tasers should not be a big issue.

I’ve also seen documentaries on civil rights in the US (or lack of under the PATRIOT Act)when known CIA people posed as demonstrators at anti war rallies, and used capsicum sprays on people to cause a negative response and ruin the whole purpose of the rally by demonising the protestors. Imagine if Queensland had taser guns while Bjelke Petersen was Premier - my sons, their wives and one set of parents couldn’t meet without a permit, or we’d be arrested. I’m just horrified by the whole idea of them. I recall the comment of the last NSW Police Commissioner re water cannon and taser guns - ‘over my dead body’ or words to that effect. He obviously knew something, as he retired prior to the water cannon being delivered. It’s be interesting if his opinion was sought now. We all know what happened during the APEC fiasco in Sydney while Howard was still PM? Interesting that Qld may be the state to ban their use!

Maybe strict rules will help. Maybe as strict as every time a gun is shot by a policeman or policewoman.

Sadly the weakest link (in the force) will give the whole force a bad name. I use to be an ambulance officer in NSW when I was a y0ung man (a few decades ago now). We could see how the worst ambulance officer (doing sloppy first aid, or having poor people skills with the grieving public) gave the service a bad image. Same with the police. There are a lot of good people in the police force, and there are some weak characters as well. Some will use tasers because it is quick, easy, relatively effective, and saves bothering with time consuming negotiation or people skills.

Tasers do kill. And the original article is right: they are a form of torture.

Anyway, Police already carry batons which if struck against the head 28 times have a better than average chance of causing death. As would a jar of Vegemite or tin of baked beans.

Are there very serious questions to be asked over the police firing a Taser 28 times to disable a single person, of course.

But death could result from the misuse of the other weapons they carry too, and more readily than with the Taser.

Truly! I despair! Will the sexist crap ever cease?

There was the very young man in Victoria(a boy of 14? 15?) who was shot dead - his was not warranted. The police need more training with people who have a mental illness - there’s been evidence in the past, that they won’t spend the time getting a qualified psychiatrist or other suitable person - just zap or shoot. Not good enough. Mental illness is not a crime, and police are not psychiatrists, so the appropriate people, perhaps a trusted family member also should be on the scene; and the means of sedating a person is preferable to death or 50,000 or however many volts. I find this barbaric in 2009.

We hear all the time of the high numbers of people who are overweight and/or obese. These people could have other health problems such as diabetes, heart conditions etc. We either act as though human life is valuable or we throw out the whole legal system, and just use our ‘instincts’ only. Training is essential, and only senior (suitable) police should have these weapons - I’d prefer them not to be used at all! In Britain, the ordinary police person doesn’t even carry a revolver, pistol etc. They call in the weapons people if required. If a person who feels agrieved is treated by a qualified person who knows what NOT to do, like shout or threaten, they’d probably have a better chance of a positive outcome. There’s too much of the ‘quick fix’ mind set - let’s shoot some weapon - it’s less hassle? Unless you were the person who’s mentally ill or highly distressed over a marriage break up or something. They’re not criminals, but disturbed/ill people.

Would those who think taser guns are OK like it to be used on them or a loved one who may be ill. If we took proper care of those suffering a mental illness, there mightn’t be the types of people who brandish knives etc. There’s still a lot of people in the community who are ignorant about mental illness - too many can’t be bothered to educate themselves about it either. I was a sympathetic person to mental illness, and thought I had a reasonable knowledge of what happens etc - how wrong I was! I read Ann Deversen’s book, ‘Tell me I’m Here’ about her beautiful 21 yr old son suffering from Schizophrenia, who sadly killed himself, and I was shocked by the appalling lack of services for both the ill person and their families. Taser guns shouldn’t be used as a solution to govt’s abrogating their responsibilities re mental health. Proper hospital facilities; follow up supervision by suitable trained community workers etc and some decent laws that give parents an avenue to seek assistance, and have the person held and treated in hospital - not thrown out in 24 hrs or less!

Finally, I think every police officer who’s given one of these tasar guns, should have it used on them at least 6 times in a row, with a 10 minute gap, and then used 6 more times - to be repeated until at least 24 ‘shots’ is used. Then we’ll see who wants to use them. I don’t trust the police to make the rules, too much room for abuse. Too much negative history - it’s too late when someone is lying dead!

If ever there was a case of “tasers don’t kill people, people kill people” this would be it. This was poor policing and that needs to adressed above all else.

I personally have no problem with police having Tasers. But they should be require to justify each use of them in the same fashion as they do with their firearms. There is a lot of incentive to overuse generally non-lethal devices such as Tasers in apprehending and controling people.

And in other news, water was found to be acutely toxic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia

In the wrong hands a lead pencil could be lethal. I still believe tazers are the best non lethal (and yes, I still say non lethal) force a cop can provide.

And on a side note now that the forces are allowing in anyone, and I mean anyone, even 5’1 45kg young blonde things nowadays, anything that is going to help is something we need.

I think it is vitally important that, if police continue using these machines, police guidelines are changed to treat them as potentially leathal force.

If police officers were properly educated about the effects of Tasers and they also had to treat drawing their Taser the same as drawing their gun in terms of paperwork etc, we would see them being used a lot less.

More on my blog:
http://www.civiltonguesaustralia.com/