Nova Scotia report calls for clearer taser standards

March 5, 2008
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

HALIFAX — A review into police use of Tasers in Nova Scotia says the amount of officer training “differs significantly” between police departments and suggests the province establish standard qualifications for those using the devices.

The report released today also says that use of the devices has shot up 80% in the past three years — from 101 times to 182 incidents last year.

During that time, police say there were seven injuries and one death.

Provincial Justice Minister Cecil Clarke called for the review in November following the death of a 45-year-old Dartmouth man about 30 hours after he was Tasered by Halifax police.

Howard Hyde, a man who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, was arrested for spousal abuse. He had struggled with jail guards moments before his death in a Dartmouth jail.