Police 'convinced' Tasered boy, 11, was dangerous

Apparently it is okay for our police to use a legally-defined LETHAL WEAPON against a child carrying a pen, even if it did look like a knife. And no sanctions on this rookie officer? What if the child had died? Thank God he wasn't wielding a stapler! Another justification comes from the fact that the boy gave the police the finger! That showed 'disrespect for police' apparently, so that is the rationale for using the taser. Oh-- the boy HAD been seen with a knife earlier. Truth be told, after a 40-minute stand-off, the boy was lured out on the porch and the Taser was fired. We have no indication on placement of darts, duration of stun, etc. We just have police investigating police. Again. WVPD Chief Lepine is a former Mountie. This all leans heavily towards the need for the Independent Investigation Office (IIO). When will this civilian-led body be formed?

October 18, 2011
The Canadian Press

WEST VANCOUVER, B.C. — Police were convinced an armed, deaf, 11-year-old was violent and a danger to himself and others when they used a Taser on him following a confrontation last April, a police report has said.

Chief Pete Lepine of the West Vancouver Police Department said in a news release Monday the RCMP officers involved that day faced a dire situation that had little chance of a publicly acceptable outcome.

He noted officers could have declined to use a Taser and risk the situation escalating to the point where the boy harmed himself or others, possibly forcing officers to use lethal force.

Or officers could take the path they ultimately chose: Use the Taser on the boy and deal with the public relations disaster later.

"I can assure all of you that everyone involved in the original incident, as well as the investigation, was fully aware and sensitive to the fact that the police were dealing with a child," Lepine wrote.

"However, ultimately, the boy's age was secondary to the fact that his apprehension was deemed necessary in order to prevent him from causing further grievous bodily harm or death.

"...If the officers had decided not to take overt action to apprehend the child quickly, they would likely have been subjected to harsh criticism for standing idly by while the child harmed himself or someone else."

Lepine was heavily criticized last month for releasing his investigators' independent findings into RCMP actions that day by simply saying the officers were justified in using the device on a child.

He provided no explanation as to why.

On Monday, he said he was releasing a detailed account after consulting with other agencies conducting a review of the incident and also the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, which has been highly critical of RCMP Taser use in the past.

Lepine said police were called to the Prince George residential group home at about 5:30 p.m. April 7 after a report that an adult had been stabbed by an 11-year-old boy.

Officers were told the boy was hearing impaired but that his hearing aids had been damaged in a previous incident.

Before police arrived at the scene, the boy had holed himself up in the large, main residence with a bottle of wine and a knife. He also had access to other weapons, Lepine's report said.

Police were told he was "prone to extremely violent outbursts, during which he exhibited extraordinary strength for his age and size and presented a viable threat to his own safety as well as the safety of adults attempting to manage his outburst," the report said.

Investigators were also told he would not back down from a physical confrontation and could attack officers.

The police who arrived on the scene positioned themselves to watch the boy and quickly determined that a forced entry of the residence wasn't reasonable.

Instead, officers attempted to negotiate with him.

Lepine's report said when the boy appeared at a small second-story window, one of the officers tried to talk to him. The boy opened the window and used a knife to cut out the screen and hung his upper body outside, prompting concern he might fall.

Discussions stopped.

Lepine's report said officers also saw the boy slashing at his sweatshirt and running a knife blade over the palm of his hand and up his arms.

Eventually, the boy asked for some belongings, the report said.

Police left them on the front porch and the boy came to retrieve them -- armed with a knife at all times. He made the sign of a cross, which police had been told was "an indication that things were going to get bad."

The boy came out of the house again to post a note, which officers couldn't read.

At this point, Lepine's report said, investigators concluded that their efforts to de-escalate the situation weren't working and that the boy was increasingly a danger to himself.

"His willingness to engage in violence and use weapons against adults indicated that physical confrontation with the boy would present an extremely high risk to all involved," the report said.

The officers decided to use a Taser if the boy came out again.

The boy was asked to come out and clarify the contents of the note. When he did, he was holding a knife and a Taser was deployed once.

Officers gained physical control of the boy and found he had a pen, not a knife, in his hand.

During the independent investigation of the RCMP's actions, Lepine said West Vancouver investigators sought the opinion of a "recognized subject matter expert" in policing that concluded the officers' decisions were "sound, appropriate to the situation and in keeping with their training and existing policy."

"It was clear to me that the officers involved responded to a dynamic and potentially deadly incident in a measured, appropriate and professional manner," Lepine concluded.

After the boy received the jolt, the boy was taken to hospital for observation and released the next day.

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP and B.C.'s children's watchdog have launched their own investigations. The RCMP is also conducting an internal review.

Two RCMP officers were placed on administrative leave after the incident, but they returned to their full duties in late June.

Boy, 11, was holding pen, not knife, when Tasered by RCMP

October 18, 2011
Andrea Woo, Vancouver Sun

The 11-year-old boy whom Prince George RCMP hit with a Taser in April was holding a pen, not a knife, at the time, an update on the investigation reveals.

However, the boy did have a knife earlier in the incident and was described as having "extraordinary strength" and being prone to "extremely violent outbursts," the update says.

The details were released on Monday by West Vancouver Police Chief Peter Lepine, who was following up on a promise to release more information on his Sept. 15 decision not to recommend charges against the officers.

"The officers decided that the Conducted Energy Weapon (i.e., the Taser) would be their best force option for resolving the incident as safely as possible," Lepine wrote.

The officers were dispatched to a residential address at 5:30 p.m. on April 7 after a call reporting a man had been stabbed.

A 37-year-old man with a stab wound was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the boy, who allegedly stabbed the man, barricaded himself inside the residence.

Before police arrived, the boy had been seen drinking from a bottle of wine and walking around the residence with a knife, Lepine wrote.

According to information gathered from adult witnesses, the boy:

. Was hearing impaired but without his hearing aids.

. Was prone to "extremely violent outbursts, during which he exhibited extraordinary strength for his age and size."

. "Would not back from physical confrontation with adults and was likely a high risk to attack officers if they approached him suddenly or unexpectedly."

. Would exhibit "warning signs" before violent outbursts, including making "the sign of the cross."

Officers saw the boy slashing his sweatshirt and running a knife blade over the palm of his hand and up and down his arms, Lepine wrote. The boy also gave the officers the middle finger and threw a wine bottle and wine glass out of the window of the residence.

The boy came out of the residence several times, once to gather some personal effects he'd asked for, and again to post a note on the porch wall. It turned out to be illegible when officers tried to read it.

"He kept a knife with him at all times and, while outside on the porch, officers and adult witnesses saw him make 'the sign of the cross' in front of his chest," Lepine wrote.

After 40 minutes, officers felt the boy was growing increasingly frustrated. They decided to intervene before the situation "escalated to the point where lethal force was an appropriate option for the resolution."

When the boy emerged from the residence a third time, "the Taser was deployed in a single cycle and the boy was immobilized long enough for the officers to gain physical control over him and seize what turned out to be not a knife but a pen," Lepine wrote.

"Once the boy was physically secure, officers immediately removed the Taser probes from his back and had him transported to hospital."

Lepine, who also sought the opinion of a use of force expert, determined the officers' actions were appropriate.

"I understand and expect that there will be those who believe that my decision to publicize these details is an attempt to vilify the 11-year-old boy in order to exonerate the police," he wrote.

"I can assure all of you that everyone involved in the original incident, as well as the investigation, was fully aware and sensitive to the fact that the police were dealing with a child. However, ultimately, the boy's age was secondary to the fact that his apprehension was deemed necessary in order to prevent him from causing further grievous bodily harm or death."

David Eby, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, which was consulted in the investigation, said he is glad West Vancouver police released more information. But he said the information is "extremely concerning" and means the investigation now must "go to the next level."

"This explanation that the child didn't have his hearing aids, that the child had no weapon at all when he was ultimately Tasered, raises some very serious questions for us and escalates this incident, in our mind, to one that requires the urgent attention of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP," Eby said.

The officer who deployed the Taser had just 18 months experience with the force. He was placed on administrative leave following the incident.

No charges to be laid against RCMP after 11-year-old Tasered

September 16, 2011
Neal Hall, Vancouver Sun

No criminal charges should be laid against the RCMP officers who shot an 11-year-old boy with a Taser in Prince George last April, the West Vancouver police department announced Thursday.

"We have concluded that the actions of the officers involved did not violate the Criminal Code of Canada and we are not recommending charges," West Vancouver Police Chief Peter Lepine said in a statement. "Our investigation is only one of many that will ultimately examine the circumstances surrounding this incident."

The West Vancouver force was asked by the RCMP to investigate the incident last April to avoid the public perception that the RCMP was investigating its own officers.

The incident occurred in Prince George about 5: 30 p.m. on April 7, when Mounties responded to a 911 call that a youth had stabbed a 37-year-old man at a home.

Investigation into B.C. Taser incident continues

May 26, 2011
CBC News

It could be another six weeks before the West Vancouver police complete their investigation into why a Mountie stunned an 11-year-old boy with a Taser near Prince George, B.C., last month.

The boy was shocked April 7 after he allegedly stabbed a caregiver at his government run group home, the RCMP has said.

West Vancouver Police Chief Pete Lepine says officers conducting the investigation have interviewed the Mounties involved and witnesses, and are now consulting with legal counsel and experts on police use of force.

Lepine said he understands the sense of urgency around the case, but he wants to ensure a fair, thorough and transparent investigation and the probe might not be finished until early July.

B.C.'s Representative for Children and Youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond has also said she will launch a special investigation into the incident, including reports that some group home staff members are using police to help discipline children.

Incompetence or Wilful Neglect?

by Dr. Michael Webster, Police Psychologist

Dr. Webster is a Canadian police psychologist with more than 30 years' experience in police crises and training. He has managed hostage-takings and kidnappings and trained or worked with Vancouver police, RCMP, Europol, the FBI and police in Mexico, Colombia and Australia.

Incompetence or Wilful Neglect?

In my opinion, the discussion around whether or not the RCMP should have deployed a TASER on an 11 year old child and under what conditions such an act would be permissible puts the cart before the horse. The fact is that those RCMP members who carry TASERs are carrying question marks on their duty belts. The weapon is uncertified and unregulated. It has never been evaluated by the Canadian Standards Association or any other electrical safety standards body anywhere in the world. Further, its health and safety effects have never been subjected to rigorous, independent and impartial research. I find it remarkable that RCMP decision makers and its insurers have not backed away from this weapon, especially in light of recent admissions by Taser International.

Is this incompetence or just wilful neglect?

The incident in Prince George recalls a number of historic issues around the TASER that have, never been addressed by RCMP management. In the 1990’s the RCMP considered using the TASER, and conducted pilot projects focused on gathering the requisite data upon which to make an informed decision. Looking back, the assistance of qualified specialists should have been sought. The resulting report was plagued by several major limitations including an incomplete review of the pertinent literature, an over-reliance on information supplied by Taser International, too much emphasis placed upon anecdotal information from police persons, and limited outside consultation. There was no consultation with national medical or mental health associations, or government agencies like Health Canada, which has a product safety lab.

Moreover, the Canadian public and its law enforcement community were misled by the Victoria police officer who wrote the “Independent Evaluation of Conducted Energy Weapons” in 2000. That report for the Canadian Police Research Centre (CPRC), was not independent. This officer accepted stock options from Taser International and was moonlighting as a TASER trainer, while tasked with what was supposed to be an impartial evaluation. He told the public that an abundance of medical research proved the safety of the weapon, and that it met safety standards set by the International Electrotechnical Commission and the Underwriters Laboratory. Neither of these statements was true. So the weapon entered Canada on the basis of a CPRC study best described as “amateurish”, and with misrepresentations supplied by a seriously compromised police officer. This same man, with his ongoing undisclosed financial relationship with the manufacturer, became manager of the joint CPRC/RCMP TASER Evaluation Project in 2002. It evaluated the effectiveness of TASERs in Canadian weather, but not their safety on human health. This now restricted report was used to justify the wider deployment of TASERs to police forces across Canada.

Is it incompetence or just wilful neglect that leads the RCMP to ignore this?

Taser International recently (2010.05.01) issued a new training manual for the X26 TASER. It includes a long list of alarming risks and warnings which contradicts its original safety claims and confirms what critics have been saying for over a decade. Here are only a few of these warnings. The company cautions that the weapon “has not been scientifically tested on pregnant women, the infirm, the elderly, small children, and low body mass persons . . . the use on these individuals could increase the risk of death or serious injury”. The company goes on to admit that the TASER “can produce physiologic or metabolic effects, which include changes in: acidosis, adrenergic states, blood pressure . . . heart rate and rhythm . . .” With this statement Taser International confirms experts’ belief that the TASER can capture the heart and alter it’s rhythms in healthy adults. Obviously the risk is even higher when a Taser is used on a child.

Taser International abdicates responsibility for its own weapon by recommending that “all TASER . . . users conduct their own research, analysis, and evaluation”. Wouldn’t you think a manufacturer would want to be able to assure the public of its product’s safety before it went to market? Are you conducting research, analysis, and evaluation on the medications you use, or was this done by the drug company before they brought their product to the marketplace?

Is the RCMP’s lack of response to these unsettling admissions from Taser International incompetence or just wilful neglect?

If flawed pilot projects, huge data gaps, increasing deaths proximal to use, and warnings and risks attended the use of a particular drug, do you think the government would step in to protect its citizens? We are fast approaching the time when an autonomous federal government, free from RCMP influence (the Commissioner was appointed by the Prime Minister and holds Deputy Minister status), will need to step in and protect the welfare of its citizens from their own misguided and misinformed national police force. The inclusion of intermediate weapons like sound cannons, laser beams, and TASERs in the police tool box is a public policy issue. These decisions cannot be left to the police or the (so-called) public safety experts like Taser International. The police are scientifically unsophisticated and companies like Taser International are in the business of aggressively marketing their products. A public advisory board, set up by the federal government, complete with all the requisite experts is necessary to assess both the costs and the benefits of the latest technological offerings.

And if the government fails to protect its citizens in this manner is it incompetence or just wilful neglect?

EDITORIAL: New guidelines are needed for Taser use

April 16, 2011
The Vancouver Sun

Certainly, there are no winners in the incident involving the RCMP Tasering of an 11-year-old aboriginal boy in Prince George last week.

But whatever the outcome of the investigation now being conducted by the West Vancouver Police Department, you can bet that the RCMP, and police forces across the province, will be the big losers.

Although very few details of the incident have been released, the Prince George Mounties have said that two officers responded to a 911 call involving a stabbing last Thursday afternoon.

Upon arriving, they "confirmed a 37-year-old male had been allegedly stabbed by an 11-year-old male."

The man was taken to hospital, and the 11-year-old suspect was found at a nearby property.

The officers tried to get him out of the house, and when he emerged, they Tasered him and took him into custody.

It's not clear if he was in possession of a weapon when he was subdued.

That's not a lot of information to go on, but many people have still expressed concern about the incident.

The concern is understandable given that the death of Robert Dziekanski is still fresh in many people's minds, and given that some officers have used Tasers in highly questionable circumstances, such as the Tasering of an 82-year-old man in his hospital bed in 2008.

Concerns are heightened in this case, however, since this boy is apparently the youngest subject of a Tasering in Canada.

The Tasering of children is something that seems not to even have been contemplated by most police forces, since few have any written policy on the matter.

And the Braidwood inquiry, which investigated the death of Dziekanski and the use of Tasers more generally, made no recommendations regarding Taser use on youth, although it did say that children, due to their small size, could be at increased risk from Tasers.

This is something that was confirmed by cardiologists in the days after the Prince George incident.

It is, therefore, imperative the RCMP and other police forces develop explicit guidelines regarding the use of Tasers on children.

This does not necessarily mean that Tasers should never be used -- one can imagine that Tasering a child might be indicated if the child is brandishing a firearm and all other means of defusing the situation have failed -- but for the sake of both the public and the police, officers do need clear instructions on what is acceptable and what isn't.

However, even if guidelines are developed and investigators conclude that officers adhered to them, many members of the public will remain suspicious as long as police continue to investigate themselves.

So in addition to highlighting the need for proper Taser guidelines, this case highlights, once again, the need for an independent, civilian-led agency to investigate allegations of serious misconduct against the police.

The development of a such an agency was, in fact, among the recommendations of the Braidwood Inquiry, and it was a recommendation that the province promised to implement.

For the sake of the public, and even more so, for the sake of public confidence in the police, Premier Christy Clark should make fulfilling this promise a priority.

This editorial first appeared in the Vancouver Sun.

EDITORIAL: Foot-dragging on Braidwood

April 16, 2011
Times Colonist

It's wrong to jump to conclusions about the RCMP tasering of an 11-year-old boy in Prince George. But it is not too soon to raise concerns -again -about the way the incident is being investigated.

The RCMP has provided almost no information about the incident. It's known the boy was in the care of the Ministry of Children and Families, in a group home. He allegedly stabbed a 37-year-old man and went to a nearby residence. RCMP officers responded. When the boy emerged, an officer tasered him.

All this happened late in the afternoon on Thursday, April 7. But it took three days for officers from the West Vancouver police department to arrive in Prince George and begin investigating.

That's unacceptable. The sooner witnesses are interviewed, the more accurate the information -and the sooner public questions are answered.

The case also highlights the provincial government's failure to act on a key recommendation of the Braidwood inquiry into Robert Dziekanski's Taser death.

Last June, Braidwood called for the creation of an independent unit, staffed by civilians, to investigate policerelated incidents involving death or serious harm.

The government rejected the recommendation, but then attorney general Mike de Jong did commit to having a "civilian-led unit" in place with 12 months.

That's less than Braidwood considered necessary to ensure independent oversight and restore public confidence. But it is better than the approach that served the public so poorly in the deaths of Dziekanski and Majencio Camaso, killed by Saanich police.

Solicitor General Shirley Bond says the commitment will not be met. The unit is now to be in place by the end of the year.

The government professed to have learned from the Braidwood inquiry. Its failure to meet its own deadline on such a critical recommendation raises doubts.

EDITORIAL: Aiming higher - tasering of children must always be a last resort

April 16, 2011
Calgary Herald

The Tasering of an 11-year-old by a junior RCMP officer in British Columbia has rightfully put the controversial use of these weapons back under public scrutiny.

The RCMP have so far released little information about the April 7 incident in Prince George, other than a brief statement saying the boy was a suspect in the stabbing of a 37-year-old man at a group home. The boy fled to a neighbouring property, where he was found by police and arrested.

"Efforts were made to get the individual out of the house, and when he emerged from the home, a conducted energy weapon was deployed by a member," said the statement.

The officer, who has just 18 months experience, has been placed on administrative leave while the West Vancouver Police Department investigates the case.

The first disappointment is that police are using other police to investigate their conduct more than three years after the Robert Dziekanski tragedy and despite two public inquiries that recommended the establishment of a civilian-based investigative body, modelled on Ontario's Special Investigations Unit.

The lack of information at this stage is perhaps understandable after the Mounties mangled the media response to Dziekanski's death in October 2007 at Vancouver International Airport. RCMP released factually inaccurate information in the early stages of the criminal investigation, and then chose not to correct the inaccuracies.

The report from the internal investigation into the Prince George incident must be made public -the sooner, the better. The incident is another blow to the reputation of the once-proud Canadian institution, with strong criticism coming from high-profile observers.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, B.C.'s representative for children and youth, believes police should never be using Tasers on children.

She'll be conducting her own review into the case, because it's the province's responsibility to ensure the safety of kids in foster care or group homes.

"When we think about this being a very young aboriginal, vulnerable child, 11 years old, living away from home, in a group home, I can't think of a more vulnerable child," she said, adding the boy was assessed in hospital and released back into custody.

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP issued a news release saying it too is "closely monitoring the case."

Amnesty International Canada believes this is the youngest person to ever be Tasered by police in Canada.

Central Saanich Police Service is the only force in B.C. to prohibit the use of stun guns on children, the elderly, pregnant women and other vulnerable people.

Ultimately, clear regulations restricting the use of conducted energy weapons on children are needed, and they should be consistent across all police forces in the country.

The use of a Taser on a child should be permitted only in the rarest of circumstances. It should be deployed only if there is an immediate threat to life and after all lesser ways of de-escalating the situation have been exhausted.

Mounties involved in case of boy jolted with Taser not yet interviewed

April 15, 2011
The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — Mounties who used a Taser on an 11-year-old B.C. boy more than a week ago have yet to be interviewed by officers from an outside police force investigating the incident.

Chief Const. Peter Lepine of the West Vancouver Police Department said investigators first interviewed witnesses to the boy's arrest in Prince George, B.C.

"It may seem that interviewing the officers is a task that should have been included in the first phase of the investigation while the team was in Prince George but there is more work to be done before those interviews can take place," Lepine said.

Lepine said his priority is to conduct a fair, thorough and transparent investigation.

West Vancouver police were asked by RCMP to investigate after the boy was shocked by Mounties April 7.

The Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP has announced it will conduct its own investigation and the children's watchdog in B.C. has said she's leaning toward doing a probe as well because the boy was in government care.

The boy was stunned with a shock weapon after RCMP officers responded to a 911 call that a 37-year-old man had been stabbed at a B.C. Children's Ministry facility.

Police found the 11-year-old suspect at a neighbouring property, and the Taser was deployed during his arrest.

First Nations groups have said an independent body, not another police force, should investigate the RCMP officers' actions.

A public inquiry into the 2007 death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport after he was jolted with an RCMP Taser resulted in recommendations for an independent civilian-led police watchdog in B.C.

Last June, former solicitor general Mike de Jong promised such a body would be formed within the next 12 months.

According to evidence presented at the Dziekanski inquiry, the boy may be the youngest person ever shocked by a police Taser.

Boy's tasering will be probed

April 15, 2011
Postmedia News

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP has launched a probe of the conduct of an RCMP officer in Prince George, B.C., who used a Taser on an 11-year-old boy last week.

Ian McPhail, a lawyer who is the interim chair of the commission, initiated the complaint Thursday into the conduct of the officer involved in the April 7 incident.

"We've been monitoring this case since the day of the incident," said Jamie Robertson, spokesman for the RCMP complaints commission.

He said the commissioner's probe will run parallel to the criminal investigation being conducted by the West Vancouver police department.

Robertson said the RCMP itself has raised issues of caution using a Taser on children because they are considered a medical risk group.

The commission's probe will determine whether the use of force was justified and whether it complied with policies, procedures and training.

The RCMP's policy on the use of a Taser was changed a year ago, after the death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport on Oct. 14, 2007 and the subsequent provincial inquiry.

The RCMP can now only use a Taser when there is immediate risk of death or bodily harm to the officer or another individual.

The 11-year-old boy was Tasered after police received a 911 call on April 7, reporting a man had been stabbed.

Boy stunned by RCMP Taser only child living in facility

April 13, 2011
CTV News

VANCOUVER — An 11-year-old boy who was shocked by an RCMP Taser was the only child living in a British Columbia residential facility, with two staff members looking after him 24 hours a day.

Darren Harbord, a spokesman with the Ministry of Children and Families, said Tuesday that the child was not living in a group home outside Prince George, B.C., as originally believed.

"The ministry deals with some troubled and vulnerable children and youth and each child's placement is based on their individual needs," he said.

"We can't get into specifics about this child. It depends on a child's needs, essentially, because a lot of children in care are very vulnerable, obviously, and some of them have very high needs."

The child was jolted by a Taser after Mounties responded to a 911 call about a 37-year-old staff member at the facility being stabbed last Thursday.

RCMP have said officers found the boy, the suspect in the stabbing, at a neighbouring property. The conducted energy weapon was deployed after he emerged, during his arrest.

The West Vancouver Police Department is investigating, and Sgt. Paul Skelton said two detectives who arrived in Prince George on Sunday are expected to complete the initial part of their probe there by Wednesday afternoon.

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP is closely monitoring the case, and Children's watchdog Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond has said she is leaning toward doing a probe of what she called a disturbing case.

Aboriginal leaders say they want an independent investigation into the incident because the boy was First Nations, and RCMP have a sometimes troubled relationship with the aboriginal community.

"Shock waves have reverberated through the aboriginal community," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

"It's absolutely outrageous that the RCMP would Taser an 11-year-old child, no matter what the circumstance is," he said.

Chief Wayne Christian, co-chairman of the First Nations Child and Family Wellness Council in Prince George, said an independent body, not another police department, should be conducting the investigation into the circumstances that led a Mountie to deploy a Taser on the child.

Christian said the case is a test of Premier Christy Clark's "families first" agenda and that the government needs to adopt recommendations from a report by the province's independent children's advocate if she investigates the incident.

"I hope that when the premier talks about families first in British Columbia, it also includes our families," he said.

Doug Kinna, a spokesman for the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union, said some group homes and facilities for vulnerable children are licensed while others are not.

"We're trying to figure out what happened with this home," he said of the facility where the boy was staying.

"I'm concerned that children could be placed in any setting that does not have the proper checks and balances -- from criminal record checks, to credentialing, to training and supervision," he said.

"Those are all things that are in place in licensed group homes," he said of the homes that hire either BCGEU or Hospital Employees Union workers.

A report released last year by the RCMP public complaints commission suggests that up to now, the youngest person to have been jolted by an RCMP Taser was 13 years old.

Skelton said police are mindful of public criticism.

Turpel-Lafond has said the boy was assessed in hospital and is back in government care.

Mountie who Tasered boy placed on administrative leave

April 13, 2011
Vancouver Sun

The Prince George RCMP officer who Tasered an 11-year-old boy last week has been placed on administrative leave, says the West Vancouver police department which has been assigned to investigate the case.

The officer involved has 18 months experience, West Vancouver Police Cpl. Fred Harding said in a press release Tuesday.

The West Vancouver police "operate with the knowledge that there is a public concern with the perception of police investigating police. (West Vancouver Police) Chief Lepine is confident that the officers assigned to the investigation will ensure that as with all West Vancouver Police investigations, the highest levels of integrity and policing standards will be applied," Harding said.

A prominent human rights groups said Monday it is "very troubled" by the case and said federal leadership is needed to ensure the weapon is not used unnecessarily against children.

Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, said strict guidelines are needed to govern the use of Tasers, especially on children, and that alternative and less dangerous methods of enforcement should be exhausted before the device is used by police.

"Police forces should adopt guidelines which prohibit the use of Tasers against children unless there is an immediate threat to life that cannot be dealt with though lesser means," Neve said Monday. "It's a pretty high standard — it's an immediate threat to life, not an immediate threat of harm or injury. That's the only circumstance, in our view, police should even consider resorting to a Taser when dealing with a child.

"It needs to be a consistent guideline applied across the country. What we are often faced with in Canada, because we have a multitude of different policing jurisdictions, is different policing forces being subjected to different standards and regulations. When it comes to something this profoundly important — what kind of weapon is going to be used against a child — it can't come down in the end (to) what municipality and province that child happens to be in. We need to see some real federal leadership here."

The 11-year-old boy was Tasered by police after he was accused of stabbing a 37-year-old man in a group home on April 7. The child was taken to hospital for assessment, while the stabbing victim was brought to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond — B.C.'s child and youth advocate — is reviewing the case. She said she expects she will launch a formal investigation, noting the youth is an aboriginal living in care and is therefore among the "most vulnerable" youths in B.C.

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP issued a news release saying it is "closely monitoring the case."

Neve noted that last week's case involves the youngest person that, to Amnesty International's knowledge, has ever been Tasered in Canada. He said any potential police review of the B.C. case "will almost certainly point to a very serious need for much clearer guidelines that determine when and if Tasers will ever be used against children."

The president of the Vancouver Police Union said officers must carefully weigh the use of a conducted energy weapon (CEW) such as a Taser.

"It's generally not something that a police officer would consider doing lightly," Tom Stamatakis said. "We would see using a charged electric weapon against a minor, an elderly person, a pregnant woman or someone with a known medical condition as a higher risk application of that level of force. We would be much more cautious about discharging a CEW in those circumstances."

Stamatakis also said that officers face unique challenges in policing situations involving minors.

"Dealing with youth is challenging for police officers, especially youth that are at risk," he said. "It's not like you're dealing with an adult that's more developed physically and mentally. You're dealing with a child that's still a child, regardless of what they're doing."

Neve said Canada's reputation regarding Taser use isn't the cleanest, tainted by other headline-grabbing cases such as the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski after he was Tasered by Mounties at Vancouver's airport.

"Because of the Robert Dziekanski incident in particular, the world is very much aware of the fact that Canada does not yet have its act together when it comes to ensuring proper regulation of Taser use by police in this country," he said. "This case is almost inevitably going to deepen those concerns, therefore all the more reason why we need to hear very quickly — in a detailed and transparent way from the police — as to how this all transpired."

Nick Bala of Queen's University's faculty of law said that to have a child so young Tasered by police is "unprecedented" in Canada, adding there are "grave concerns" about the situation.

Bala, who has authored several books on youth justice in Canada and a paper on criminal acts by children under the age of 12, said it is difficult to know where the onus lies in the most recent incident, but added the use of a Taser on a child that young would be extreme in most cases.

"We've never had a case like this in Canada when it would have been appropriate," he said. "And unless he had a firearm or possibly was threatening someone with a knife at the moment he was Tasered, it would not be appropriate physically, psychologically or legally."

Bala said until an investigation sheds more light on what actually happened, there will be many unanswered questions, but added the level of risk in Tasering is elevated in a child that young.

He noted the early indicators from last week's case in B.C. do not point to a justified use of a Taser.

"In fairness to the officer, we don't know whether the officer was aware of (the boy's) age ... but even with an adolescent, there are concerns about the use of Tasers," he said. "Officers are required to use reasonable force. There are situations where you have a large, threatening adult where a Taser may be appropriate, but this does not seems to be one of those cases.

"I'm not saying it would never be appropriate, but there would be very grave concerns about the situation and it would take most unusual circumstances to justify and I certainly hope the details of the investigation will be made public in due course."

Probe wraps up on Tasering of 11-year-old Prince George boy - But it could be some time before the public learns outcome, police advise

April 12, 2011
By Sean Sullivan, The Province; With Files From Postmedia

West Vancouver police say it may be some time before the public learns why a Prince George RCMP officer used a stun gun on an 11-year-old boy last week.

The West Vancouver Police Department has been called in to investigate Thursday's Tasering after Prince George RCMP responded to an emergency call.

"Our chief constable has made this investigation the top priority of his department," WVPD Sgt. Paul Skelton told The Province on Monday. "Our goal is to determine whether the RCMP officer was justified in using this level of force."

Officers at the scene found a 37-year-old man suffering from stab wounds that he said were caused by the boy. Officers located the child at a nearby home, where he was Tasered.

The boy was taken to hospital but did not suffer physical injuries, Skelton said.

Detectives from West Vancouver began their investigation Sunday and expect to wrap up this afternoon.

Skelton said the detectives will also review the RCMP's policy on Tasers, as well as the RCMP officer's record and Taser training.

The Mountie involved has 18 months' experience on the job. He has been placed on administrative duties, Skelton said.

It's not known why the officer used a Taser on the boy. Skelton said police can't divulge that information during their investigation.

The incident touches on two hot-button issues in B.C.: Taser use, and the practise of police investigating other police, both of which Skelton said are being taken into account. "We're sensitive to the public perception of police investigating police," Skelton said. He said the RCMP officers involved are co-operating fully with the detectives.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International Canada weighed in on Monday, saying it is "very troubled" by the incident. "Police forces should adopt guidelines which prohibit the use of Tasers against children unless there is an immediate threat to life that cannot be dealt with through lesser means," secretary-general Alex Neve said.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, B.C.'s child and youth advocate, is reviewing the case. She said she expects she will launch a formal probe of the case, noting the youth is an aboriginal living in care and among the "most vulnerable" group in B.C.

Firm guidelines needed for Taser use on youth: Amnesty International

April 11, 2011
Bradley Bouzane and Frank Appleyard, Postmedia News
Vancouver Sun

A prominent human rights groups said Monday it is "very troubled" by the recent Tasering of an 11-year-old boy by B.C. Mounties and said federal leadership is needed to ensure the weapon is not used against children in unnecessary circumstances.

Alex Neve, secretary-general of Amnesty International Canada, says strict guidelines are needed to govern the use of Tasers, especially on children, and that alternative and less dangerous methods of enforcement should be exhausted before the device is used by police.

"Police forces should adopt guidelines which prohibit the use of Tasers against children unless there is an immediate threat to life that cannot be dealt with though lesser means," Neve said Monday. "It's a pretty high standard — it's an immediate threat to life, not an immediate threat of harm or injury. That's the only circumstance, in our view, police should even consider resorting to a Taser when dealing with a child.

"It needs to be a consistent guideline applied across the country. What we are often faced with in Canada, because we have a multitude of different policing jurisdictions, is different policing forces being subjected to different standards and regulations. When it comes to something this profoundly important — what kind of weapon is going to be used against a child — it can't come down in the end what municipality and province that child happens to be in. We need to see some real federal leadership here."

The 11-year-old boy in Prince George, B.C., was Tasered by police after he was accused of stabbing a 37-year-old man in a group home on April 7. The child was taken to hospital for assessment, while the stabbing victim was brought to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond — B.C.'s child and youth advocate — is reviewing case. She said she expects she will launch a formal investigation of the case, noting the youth is an aboriginal living in care and among the "most vulnerable" group in B.C.

Neve, noting that last week's case involves the youngest person that Amnesty International is aware of to face a Taser in Canada, said any potential police review of the B.C. case "will almost certainly point to a very serious need for much clearer guidelines that determine when and if Tasers will ever be used against children."

The president of the Vancouver Police Union said officers must carefully weigh the use of a conducted energy weapon (CEW) such as a Taser.

"It's generally not something that a police officer would consider doing lightly," Tom Stamatakis said. "We would see using a charged electric weapon against a minor, an elderly person, a pregnant woman or someone with a known medical condition as a higher risk application of that level of force. We would be much more cautious about discharging a CEW in those circumstances."

Stamatakis also said that officers face unique challenges in policing situations involving minors.

"Dealing with youth is challenging for police officers, especially youth that are at risk," he said. "It's not like you're dealing with an adult that's more developed physically and mentally. You're dealing with a child that's still a child, regardless of what they're doing."

Neve said Canada's reputation regarding Taser use isn't the cleanest, with other high-profile cases such as the Taser death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski making international headlines.

"Because of the Robert Dziekanski incident in particular, the world is very much aware of the fact that Canada does not yet have its act together when it comes to ensuring proper regulation of Taser use by police in this country," he said. "This case is almost inevitably going to deepen those concerns, therefore all the more reason why we need to hear very quickly — in a detailed and transparent way from the police — as to how this all transpired."

Nick Bala of Queen's University's faculty of law, said to have a child so young Tasered by police is "unprecedented" in Canada, adding there are "grave concerns" about the situation.

Bala, who has authored several books on youth justice in Canada and a paper on criminal offending by children under the age of 12, said it is difficult to know where the onus lies in the most recent incident, but said the use of a Taser on a child that young would be extreme in most cases.

"We've never had a case like this in Canada when it would have been appropriate," he said. "And unless he had a firearm or possibly was threatening someone with a knife at the moment he was Tasered, it would not be appropriate physically, psychologically or legally."

Bala said until an investigation sheds more light on what actually happened, there will be many unanswered questions, but said the level of risk in Tasering is elevated in a child that young.

He noted the early indicators from last week's case in B.C. do not point to a justified use of a Taser.

"In fairness to the officer, we don't know whether the officer was aware of (the boy's) age . . . but even with an adolescent, there are concerns about the use of Tasers," he said. "Officers are required to use reasonable force. There are situations where you have a large, threatening adult where a Taser may be appropriate, but this does not seems to be one of those cases.

"I'm not saying it would never be appropriate, but there would be very grave concerns about the situation and it would take most unusual circumstances to justify and I certainly hope the details of the investigation will be made public in due course."

Missed the memo on Tasers

april 11, 2011
Urban Compass by Paul Sullivan
METRO VANCOUVER

Details on the Tasering of an 11-year-old boy at his group home by Prince George RCMP last Thursday are sketchy.

Whoa! Did I say “the Tasering of an 11-year-old boy?” Yup. And the details are sketchy. The boy in question allegedly stabbed a 37-year-old person with a steak knife, and then barricaded himself. I can’t tell from the reports at this point if he still had the knife.

But it wasn’t until he left the house that he was Tasered. The boy’s alleged victim has non-life-threatening injuries, and, as this is written, the condition of the boy isn’t clear. We do know our intrepid Representative for Children and Youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafonde is on the case.

Her questions: “Why are we using Tasers on children? Did the police take steps to de-escalate the situation?” Good questions.

How hard can it be to subdue an 11-year-old? Even if he’s spitting like a cornered wolverine, he’s still 11. The RCMP is 138. Advantage RCMP.

In Lakewood, Colo., last week, an eight-year-old boy made international news when he was pepper-sprayed during a violent meltdown. Police chose not to Taser him because it would be too dangerous.

If the RCMP doesn’t know it by now, especially in the wake of the notorious death of Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver Airport, those things are indeed dangerous. Critics say more than 245 people have died since Tasers were introduced as “non-lethal” alternatives to guns. According to the CBC, 20 of those deaths have occurred in Canada, several of those in B.C. and at least one in Prince George.

But those facts obviously don’t cut a lot of mustard with the RCMP, which apparently can’t bring down an 11-year-old without resorting to its officially authorized thunderbolt. It gets murky when you try to figure out exactly how much voltage ran through the targeted 11-year-old. Depending on the model, it’s anywhere from 1,500 to 50,000 volts. At least as bad as getting zapped by a toaster or an electrical outlet, and anyone who has been blown across the room by sticking a screwdriver where it shouldn’t go can.

By now, we shouldn’t be surprised by violence from children; this kid’s behaviour obviously required caution. What it did not require and will never require, was electrocution, even of the “non-lethal” variety.

The RCMP has changed its guidelines for using Tasers in the wake of the Dziekanski affair. Maybe the officer who Tasered the kid didn’t get the memo, but whatever happened, it’s time to take 11-year-olds out of the line of fire.

Once and for all.

Taser incident shows pitfalls of police investigating police, inquiry chief says

April 10, 2011
JAMES KELLER, Globe and Mail

The case of an 11-year-old boy who was stunned with an RCMP taser in British Columbia is yet another reminder that police shouldn't be investigating themselves, says the head of a wide-ranging public inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski.

The Mounties have asked West Vancouver police to investigate what happened when the boy was jolted with a taser in Prince George last Thursday.

The RCMP said the boy was considered a suspect in the stabbing of 37-year-old man, although neither the Mounties nor the West Vancouver police have explained what prompted an officer to fire the taser, what other options were used first, or whether the boy was holding a weapon when he was stunned.

Former appeal court judge Thomas Braidwood, who oversaw two sets of public hearings following Dziekanski's 2007 death at Vancouver's airport, said the case underscores his call for a civilian-led body to investigate the conduct of police.

“The most significant and important weapon the arsenal of any police force is public support, and the way to get public support is to have an independent body investigate situations like that,” Mr. Braidwood said in an interview Sunday.

“If the other tribunal is not in place, then I can see that [calling in the West Vancouver police] is the way it would have to be, but I don't agree that is the correct solution, because there is a camaraderie and other matters that exist between police forces – and indeed, so there should be, they have to support each other – so it doesn't quite go far enough.”

Mr. Braidwood was appointed to examine what happened when four RCMP officers confronted Mr. Dziekanski – a Polish immigrant who was agitated, confused and didn't speak English – at Vancouver's airport in October, 2007. Within seconds of their arrival, the officers stunned Mr. Dziekanski multiple times with a taser, and he died shortly after.

Mr. Braidwood first conducted hearings into the broad issues surrounding taser use, and later examined Mr. Dziekanski's death in detail.

In his report into Mr. Dziekanski's death, he called on the B.C. government to create an independent body to investigate cases involving police conduct, similar to agencies in place in Ontario and Alberta.

The provincial government has since pledged to create such a body and the RCMP has promised to use it in cases involving its own officers, but it has so far not materialized.

Mr. Braidwood said he's still confident the province will follow through.

“They accepted all of the recommendations, so I'm very pleased with them about that,” said Mr. Braidwood. “I just wish they'd hurry up.”

Mr. Braidwood declined to comment about the specifics of the Prince George case.

While his reports didn't make any recommendations about the use of tasers on youth, one of them said children, because of their small size, could be at an elevated risk from a taser jolt.

Mr. Braidwood's 2009 report on taser use in B.C. also concluded a taser jolt can be deadly in certain rare cases, and called for tighter restrictions on their use. That finding prompted Taser International to challenge Mr. Braidwood's findings in court, but a judge ruled against the company.

The document noted only two police forces in the province – Victoria and Saanich – had policies advising offers to avoid using tasers on “very young” suspects, though that term wasn't defined. The RCMP did not have such a policy when Mr. Braidwood issued his report, and no one from the force was available to comment Sunday about whether that's changed.

A separate report released last year by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP identified 194 cases between 2002 and 2009 in which the force deployed tasers on subjects aged 13 to 17, including two 13-year-olds. None were as young as 11.

As for the incident in Prince George, Simon Fraser University criminologist David MacAlister said the “extremely young age” of the boy adds to the questions the investigation must answer – especially to address the public controversy it has already generated.

“To hear that somebody as young as 11 was on the receiving end of a big jolt came as a bit of a surprise,” said Mr. MacAlister, who stressed it was impossible to make any conclusions about the officers' conduct without knowing exactly what happened.

“What were the police thinking? What alternative responses were they contemplating? You have to wonder what happened in the situation to merit the use of a taser.”

B.C.’s representative for children and youth is considering launching her own investigation.

Braidwood critical of probe into use of Taser on child

April 10, 2011
James Keller , The Canadian Press

The case of an 11-year-old boy who was stunned with an RCMP Taser in British Columbia is yet another reminder that police shouldn't be investigating themselves, says the head of a wide-ranging public inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski.

The Mounties have asked West Vancouver police to investigate what happened when the boy was jolted with a Taser in Prince George last Thursday.

The RCMP said the boy was considered a suspect in the stabbing of 37-year-old man, although neither the Mounties nor the West Vancouver police have explained what prompted an officer to fire the Taser, what other options were used first, or whether the boy was holding a weapon when he was stunned.

Former appeal court justice Thomas Braidwood, who oversaw two sets of public hearings following Dziekanski's 2007 death at Vancouver's airport, said the case underscores his call for a civilian-led body to investigate the conduct of police.

"The most significant and important weapon the arsenal of any police force is public support, and the way to get public support is to have an independent body investigate situations like that," Braidwood told The Canadian Press in an interview Sunday.

"If the other tribunal is not in place, then I can see that (calling in the West Vancouver police) is the way it would have to be, but I don't agree that is the correct solution, because there is a camaraderie and other matters that exist between police forces -- and indeed, so there should be, they have to support each other -- so it doesn't quite go far enough."

Braidwood was appointed to examine what happened when four RCMP officers confronted Dziekanski -- a Polish immigrant who was agitated, confused and didn't speak English -- at Vancouver's airport in October 2007. Within seconds of their arrival, the officers stunned Dziekanski multiple times with a Taser, and he died shortly after.

Braidwood first conducted hearings into the broad issues surrounding Taser use, and later examined Dziekanski's death in detail.

In his report into Dziekanski's death, he called on the B.C. government to create an independent body to investigate cases involving police conduct, similar to agencies in place in Ontario and Alberta.

The provincial government has since pledged to create such a body and the RCMP has promised to use it in cases involving its own officers, but it has so far not materialized.

Braidwood said he's still confident the province will follow through.

"They accepted all of the recommendations, so I'm very pleased with them about that," said Braidwood. "I just wish they'd hurry up."

Braidwood declined to comment about the specifics of the Prince George case.

While his reports didn't make any recommendations about the use of Tasers on youth, one of them said children, because of their small size, could be at an elevated risk from a Taser jolt.

Braidwood's 2009 report on Taser use in B.C. also concluded a Taser jolt can be deadly in certain rare cases, and called for tighter restrictions on their use. That finding prompted Taser International to challenge Braidwood's findings in court, but a judge ruled against the company.

The document noted only two police forces in the province -- Victoria and Saanich -- had policies advising offers to avoid using Tasers on "very young" suspects, though that term wasn't defined. The RCMP did not have such a policy when Braidwood issued his report, and no one from the force was available to comment Sunday about whether that's changed.

A separate report released last year by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP identified 194 cases between 2002 and 2009 in which the force deployed Tasers on subjects aged 13 to 17, including two 13-year-olds. None were as young as 11.

As for the incident in Prince George, Simon Fraser University criminologist David MacAlister said the "extremely young age" of the boy adds to the questions the investigation must answer -- especially to address the public controversy it has already generated.

"To hear that somebody as young as 11 was on the receiving end of a big jolt came as a bit of a surprise," said MacAlister, who stressed it was impossible to make any conclusions about the officers' conduct without knowing exactly what happened.

"What were the police thinking? What alternative responses were they contemplating? You have to wonder what happened in the situation to merit the use of a Taser."

B.C.'s representative for children and youth is considering launching her own investigation.

British Columbia's children's rep to probe Tasering of boy, 11, by RCMP

April 10, 2011
By Damian Inwood, The Province

B.C.'s Representative for Children and Youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, is launching her own investigation into why Prince George RCMP used a Taser on an 11-yearold boy who was the suspect in a stabbing at a group home.

"The circumstances, as I understand them at this point, are distressing," Turpel-Lafond told The Province Saturday.

"Why are we using Tasers on chilren? Did the police take steps to descalate the situation?"

Supt. Brenda Butterworth-Carr, the commanding officer of the RCMP Prince George detachment, confirmed the child was hit with Taser as he emerged from a neighbouring property from where the attack took place Thursday.

Turpel-Lafond said she wants to know why the boy was in a group home in the first place.

"I'm alarmed," she added. "There are some very hard issues that this raises. Why did it get to this point and what initiatives were taken to support this child?"

Mounties responded to a 911 call that reported a stabbing at 5: 30 p.m. Thursday.

"Police confirmed that a 37-year old male had been allegedly stabbed by an 11-year-old male and the victim was enroute to hospital for medical care," said Butterworth-Carr.

"Members began to search for the suspect and he was located at a nearby neighbouring property. Efforts were made to get the individual out of the house and, when he emerged from the home, a conducted energy weapon was deployed by a member."

The 11-year-old was taken into custody and transported to hospital for assessment, she said.

The victim was in hospital in good condition with non-life-threatening injuries, said Butterworth-Carr.

She said she didn't know the status of the 11-year-old and referred questions to West Vancouver police, who are conducting an independent investigation into the incident.

News reports said the boy barricaded himself in a Giscome Road group home after stabbing an employee with a steak knife.

Prince George RCMP fire Taser on 11-year-old

What the hell?!? According to RCMP policy on CEW deployment, the taser may only be used when: "a subject is causing bodily harm, or the member believes on reasonable grounds, that the subject will imminently cause bodily harm." This little boy, according to reports, was "emerging from the home."

April 9, 2011
Andrea Woo, Vancouver Sun

Mounties in Prince George fired a Taser on an 11-year-old boy who was suspected of stabbing a 37-year-old man on Thursday.

The incident began around 5:30 p.m. when Prince George RCMP received a report of a stabbing at a home, according to a written statement issued Thursday afternoon by Prince George detachment commander Supt. Brenda Butterworth-Carr.

Attending officers received information that the boy had allegedly stabbed the adult male, who was then en route to hospital. Police began a search for the boy and found him at a neighbouring property.

"Efforts were made to get the individual out of the house, and when he emerged from the home, a conducted energy weapon was deployed by a member," Butterworth-Carr said.

"The male was taken into custody and transported to hospital for assessment."

The West Vancouver Police Department is now investigating the matter. Prince George RCMP did not disclose the boy's relationship to the stabbing victim.

RCMP today tasered a 14 year old boy "out of concerns for his safety and 'WHATNOT'"

"Unfortunately, our officers, from time to time, encounter 14-year-olds who are extremely threatening" (RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, Feb 12, 2009) - read it here.

...There also remains the recommendation to generally limit the CEW to members with five years or more of experience - May 2010 News Release by the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP

RCMP Operational Manual - Conducted Energy Weapon: Medically high risk situation includes, but is not limited to the deployment in probe mode for longer than 5 seconds, and the deployment in either probe or push stun mode against: 2. 3. 2. 2. a child

November 2, 2010
CBC News

RCMP officers used a Taser to subdue a suicidal 14-year-old boy on Monday, but police say the teen's Surrey, B.C., family has no complaints about the incident.

The family called 911 from the Vancouver suburb and told the dispatcher the boy was highly emotional and suicidal, according to Const. Peter Neily. When officers arrived they tried to subdue the adult-sized boy as he hit himself in the head with a mallet.

"He's described as being five foot 10 and 180 pounds, so he's a large individual for his age," said Neily.

"Our members were able to get the mallet out of his hand, but the struggle continued from there," he said. "Out of concerns for his safety and whatnot, the conducted energy weapon was deployed in what at this time we are determining to be an appropriate use."

The boy was taken to hospital for treatment and the case will be reviewed, but the family is satisfied with the actions of the officers, said Neily.