Calgary - Chief backs use of Tasers

February 24, 2009
KRISTA SYLVESTER/ METRO CALGARY

With the fate of Taser use possibly hinging on a national report released today, Calgary’s police chief stands firmly behind use of the police tool.

With recommendations being released today by the Canadian Police Association of Chiefs and the Canadian Police Association, two Calgary aldermen have thrown their support behind the notion of all front-end officers carrying Tasers and Calgary police Chief Rick Hanson agrees.

“Absolutely, they should have Tasers; Tasers save lives. There is still not one single documented case where the cause of death is the Taser. It hasn’t been proven,” Hanson told Metro yesterday. [TRUTH NOT TASERS SAYS: That's pure bullshit! This guy has not done his homework and is simply repeating Tom Kaye's INCORRECT information!!]

“We need the tools to deal with those violent people … the Taser is one of those tools,” he added.

Calgary-Buffalo MLA Kent Hehr agrees the Taser can be an effective police tool, but he wants stricter guidelines in place, much like the ones the RCMP put in place earlier this month.

About 900 Tasers are in use by law enforcement agencies across the province.