Numerous police forces use Taser guns as 'non-lethal' weapon for officers. Maybe labeling a weapon as non-lethal is root of the problem.
A unarmed Polish immigrant was killed by a tasering last month in a Vancouver Airport. If the officers knew at that time, they were using lethal force, would they have used it? Anyone who has seen the horrible video of Robert Dziekanski's death by Taser knows that lethal force was not necessary in this case. The problem with labeling a weapon as non-lethal, is that it gives a false sense of security to officers making them more likely to use the weapon, even if there are other ways of subduing a suspect.
Given the public outcry over Mr Dziekanski's death at the hands of RCMP officers and other recent deaths by Taser guns in Canada, Commissioner William Elliott has said that the RCMP will review their policy on the use of Tasers.
Currently there are four probes underway into Dziekanski's death. The B.C. coroner, the RCMP, the public complaints commissioner for the RCMP and the Vancouver Airport Authority are all conducting their own investigations.
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Until you are a Cop and have to deal with someone that is, for whatever reason, mentally unbalanced, don't stand on your "soap box" and give a "Holier Than Thou" opinion on other ways to subdue a subject !! I'm going to help them if they will allow that BUT the bottom line is...I'M GOING HOME AT THE END OF MY SHIFT !!
ReplyDeleteThis kind of shoot first ask questions later is the exact thing being discussed here. This man was shot several times by the taser THAT is what killed him. And he was unarmed and out numbered. This isn't the wild west if leathal force isn't required then it shouldn't be used. Reclassing the taser to leathal is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! Coincidentally, I wrote about the same issue yesterday on my blog www.ourrantsandraves.blogspot.com - close blog names too, that is wild - I guess great minds think alike. I was talking about the death of a boy in Virginia. I agree, tasers can kill. People need to look at this subject more and make sure more people don't die due to irresponsible use. They should NOT be considered non-lethal. Thanks - Michael
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