Alberta not following British Columbia taser guidelines

July 26, 2009
Pete Curtis - 660 News

It doesn't appear Alberta will be following the lead of British Columbia in adopting stricter guidelines for taser use by the RCMP. B.C.'s solicitor general says, he expects the RCMP, to implement the recommendations made in the recent report from the Braidwood inquiry, which investigated the tasering death of a Polish man at the Vancouver International Airport. But the mounties in B.C. have yet to indicate if they'll comply.

Here in Alberta, an RCMP spokesman says taser use in the province is based on two standards: Alberta's guidelines and the national standards set by the RCMP. Corporal Wayne Oakes tells the Herald they're always open to discussion, but indicates the recommendations made in B.C. aren't applicable to our province.

The Braidwood inquiry made 19 recommendations in its report.

On a national level, the mounties say they welcome the report and will be reviewing and analysing the recommendations.