Letter to the Editor: Taser wasn't cause of death

September 24, 2010
Chilliwack Times

Editor:

I am writing to you regarding Tyler Olsen's article entitled, "Taser death delay; RCMP failing to sign-off on Knipstrom report now 300 days overdue," in the Sept. 17 Chilliwack Times.

The article itself indicates the RCMP pepper sprayed, Tasered and hit the decendent with a baton.

It further went on to mention the coroner's inquest linked the decedent's death being linked to, "excited delirium" and "serious ecstasy intoxication." Nowhere in your article does it mention the death was caused by the use of a taser.

My concern is the misleading and sensational headline. This headline appears to be an obvious attempt to garner advertising revenue by linking this case to the continuing malicious and unethical reporting of incidents involving police and taser use.

The headline is incorrect and unethical according to your own article.

Members of the B.C. Mounted Police Professional Association (BCMPPA) along with their brothers and sisters in the Canadian Police Association (CPA) continue to make our communities safer using the tools and training provided to them by the RCMP. The use of the phrase, "Taser death" portrays BCMPPA members in a negative and incorrect light.

As the editor, you have final say in how the story is to appear. Please ensure your articles and headlines are factual regarding the BCMPPA and its members. The headline disappointingly betrays the usual professional and factual reporting by the Times and its staff.

Leland Keane, member,
B.C. Mounted Police Professional Association

Letter to the editor - RCMP actions bring shame upon Canada

A letter to the editor in today's Kingston Whig-Standard:

So, the RCMP has reached a settlement with the mother of Robert Dziekanski, who was fatally assaulted with a Taser in the Vancouver airport for not responding to the commands shouted at him, in a language he didn't understand, during a volatile situation. Both sides have expressed themselves as being satisfied with the financially unspecified settlement, which also included an apology. I am glad that she has finally received some acknowledgement of their horrifying failure in judgment, which took her son from her.


But I am not satisfied, nor should any Canadian citizen be satisfied. Before this is a closed book, I would like the RCMP to apologize to me and to every other Canadian citizen for this terrible act.

As our national police force, and the very symbol of Canada the world over (think back to the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics) they have brought shame upon our nation.

Their actions were so far from reasonable or useful or appropriate that it is hard to imagine how they could have made it worse. I am ashamed of them, and embarrassed that this is something that others in the world might find representative of our country. That is not my Canada. The only way that the RCMP could possibly recover my respect is to own up, talk about what they did wrong, and how they are going to improve things for future encounters, and apologize to the Canadian people.

When we do something wrong to our neighbours, whether on purpose or accidentally, it behooves us to apologize, to try to make amends, to let the other person(s) know that we regret what we did, and that we intend to do better next time. That is what the Canadian people need from the RCMP.

Letter to the Editor - When taser used, police transparency a must

Letter to the Editor

Published in today's edition of my local paper - The Belleville Intelligencer

I believe The Intelligencer was right to publish Mr. O'Sullivan's account of his November ordeal with the Belleville Police Service. With the nationwide escalation of interest in the use of Tasers by police in recent years, Canadians are demanding more -- not less -- transparency from police.

And when the Belleville Police Service is unwilling to provide even the basic facts in an open and timely manner, instead delaying disclosure for an inconceivable seven weeks, we in the court of public opinion are left to ponder what they had to hide.

It should be noted that, in 2004, the Vancouver Police Department was roundly criticized for waiting a mere four weeks before disclosing that a Taser was used on my brother, Robert Bagnell, the night he died.

That serious error in judgement prompted the British Columbia Police Complaints Commissioner to order an external investigation into the matter, due in part to "concerns regarding delays in disclosure to the family, media and public which created an adverse perception of the ability of the VPD to conduct an impartial investigation."

In the end, the VPD was forced to change its disclosure policy.

Regardless of how events unfolded on the night in question, Mr. O'Sullivan is extremely fortunate to have lived to tell his side of the story.

Twenty-seven Canadian men have died in Canada due to Taser use (at least 467 in North America). We -- the Belleville Police Service's "partners in the community" -- can only hope that we will eventually be subjected to the truth about what happened during this incident.

And it will be interesting to see whether the facts really are so different from Mr. O'Sullivan's account. If we are to rely on recent Canadian history, though, police have been considerably less than forthcoming when Tasers have been used and have even gone so far as to fabricate the truth to suit themselves (who can forget the RCMP testimony re: Robert Dziekanski?).

This cynic looks forward to knowing what prompted the BPS to resort to Taser use in the first place and why they waited so long to publicize it.

Patti Gillman

See also Story should be told say Intelligencer readers

See also Editorial: Police political two step

See also Police bash the Intel

See also Former Olympic Boxer says he was beaten - BELLEVILLE POLICE: Have much different version of Shawn O'Sullivan's story

Letter to the Editor: 'Excited delirium’ ridiculous

December 16, 2009
bclocalnews

Does anyone else find the RCMP/police-created term “excited delirium” for cause of death, as ridiculous as I do?

We, the public, cannot accept this created phrase from our Taser trigger-happy men/women in blue.

What’s next? “Yes, your Honour I shot the victim several times but he actually died from loss of blood. My actions certainly had little to do with his death, he must have been a hemophiliac or something.”

Or perhaps, “Sure, I stabbed the victim repeatedly, but he actually died from heart failure. He must have had an underlying heart condition, so how could my actions be accountable for his death?”

Repeated shocks of several thousand volts (sometimes over and over again) is the foremost and primary reason our fellow Canadians continue to be killed by the people in society we appoint to “serve and protect.”

Is there some sort of critical failure in the training of our police forces that these brave men and women feel the need to rely so quickly on such a dangerous weapon when faced with persons in distress or conflict? Have our police given up on communication skills, de-escalation techniques and other non-lethal alternatives?

The medical community doesn’t even accept “excited delirium” as a real term.

Jeff Leggat, Burnaby

Letter to the Editor: Taser inquiry missed opportunity

July 31, 2009
The Toronto Star

Letter to the Editor

In failing to recommend that standards be developed for Tasers, the Braidwood inquiry, unfortunately, has squandered an outstanding opportunity to move this agenda that much more forward. The federal government, as recommended in an RCMP report, must now take the initiative and set standards for Tasers used by all police services in Canada, under its power in the Criminal Code to regulate firearms. Standards for their efficacy and use must be developed.

The fact, acknowledged by the manufacturer, is that one in 20 of these devices fail. This failure rate defies all logic, is inexcusable and smacks of shoddy manufacturing and quality control. No other electrical product can be legally sold in Canada unless it is tested and certified by a recognized national standards organization.

Until these standards are in place, police services should place a moratorium on the purchase of these electrical devices. Establishing minimum standards would further ensure police accountability and allay public fears and concerns.

Emile Therien, Past President, Canada Safety Council, Ottawa

"Tasers are not the problem"

June 12, 2009
Allison Wall, Meridian Booster (Lloydminster, Alberta)

OK I’ve watched these stories bounce around in the headlines and stir up controversy and debate – even a column in the Booster – for almost two years. Everyone has an opinion on Tasers, and so do I.

Obviously, I’m a journalist – not a cop – and have never seen, touched, used or been stunned with a Taser (nor do I ever want to be), but I believe this controversial weapon is 100 per cent acceptable. If I was doing something warranting police intervention, I’m pretty certain I would rather be stunned with a Taser than shot with a gun. Perhaps underlying health conditions or an agitated state from drugs and alcohol could increase my chances of death from a Taser (or perhaps not), but a bullet in the chest will lead to an almost certain demise. I’m not good at math, but I think my odds of surviving a Taser stun far outweigh the other grisly option.

Yes, we hear always hear about people who die after being Tasered, but we don’t hear of the many, many cases of people who are subdued by the Taser and live a long and healthy life (although) perhaps in jail).

Unfortunately, Robert Dziekanski was Tasered and died at the Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 14, 2007, and now four Mounties are under fire for allegations they acted improperly and tried to cover up their actions. Says who?

Many of you may have seen the video, but a simple viewing doesn’t mean we were there and doesn’t mean we have first-hand knowledge of what these officers were thinking and feeling and how they were reacting.

The allegations against one officer include improperly assessing the situation and failing to react appropriately when confronting Dziekanski, misrepresenting Dziekanski’s behaviour in the notes and statements given to homicide investigators, continuing to misrepresent the events while testifying during the inquiry and offering a misleading and self-serving interpretation of his notes during the inquiry.

Let me reiterate. I am not a cop and most likely, neither are you. These brave men and women put themselves in danger every single day to keep us safe. They are on the streets fighting – sometimes very violent – crime and need to be able guard themselves. Why should the alleged criminal have the upper hand? Until we are in the situation and can understand the peril, I don’t think any of us can judge the actions of those who use Tasers.

Sure, police should be held accountable for their actions when necessary, but we’ve got to realize – as in any other situation – there will always be that select group of people who abuse the use of Tasers, which should be the real crux of the controversy.

I know there is a lot about Tasers I don’t understand, but I believe police have my best interest at heart.

***

How NAIVE!! I wonder which rock this journalist lives under. Below is my letter to the editor in response to this junk article. Limited to 500 words, I couldn't even begin to challenge this woman's beliefs. Nor could I let her words pass by as if they were the god's honest truth.

Dear Editor:

In her article entitled "Tasers are not the problem," Allison Wall raises a number of provocative points.

For example, she says: "I think my odds of surviving a Taser stun far outweigh the other grisly option." And she *may* be right about that. However, at a time when her fellow journalists and average Canadians across the country seem fairly unanimous in their condemnation of the egregious overuse and abuse of tasers by police in Canada, Ms. Wall instead chose to drag out the crusty old "tasers are better than guns" argument.

That argument is so ten-years-ago, when tasers were initially approved for use in Canada as an alternative to lethal force. Over the years, however, the taser has become less an alternative to lethal force than an overused and quite unpredictable weapon of mass convenience, used by police in a vast majority of cases where bullets would never be considered. Those of us in the know refer to this phenomenon as "usage creep."

For the 26 men who have died in Canada (most of whom were unarmed and many of whom posed no credible threat to anyone, let alone highly trained police officers), the use of the taser amounted to street-level justice - the taser was judge, jury and executioner.

And yes, sometimes police officers would abuse the use of tasers (and other force options) and they certainly should be held accountable. The fact is, though, that EVERY time a police officer deploys a taser, he or she engages in a potentially deadly game of Russian Roulette. Police officers do have a difficult job and they deserve nothing less than an alternative to guns that does NOT have the high potential for such severe and unintended outcomes as those too often seen with the taser. And until the taser can be shown unequivocally to be a safe alternative to lethal force, the weapon itself cannot be held harmless with any credibility. Despite what police and the weapon's manufacturer would have us believe, that has yet to be shown.

Perhaps, in a future edition, Ms. Wall could attempt to answer this question: When did certain death by bullet and potential death by taser become our only options in Canada?

Patti Gillman
Owner of TNT - Truth ... not tasers http://truthnottasers.blogspot.com

Quote of the day

From a December 2008 Letter to the Editor of The Missourian

"Just as war is too important to leave up to generals, Taser use is too important to leave up to the police and to the for-profit Taser company, which has been running the show."

Letter to the editor from Julian Fantino: Police have right to speak out about Tasers

What a silly letter, Mr. Fantino! Next you'll be sticking out your tongue, with your hands on your hips, yelling "I KNOW YOU ARE...BUT WHAT AM I?" Isn't this conduct unbecoming of Ontario's top police officer?

If YOU and the rest of your old-boy's club at the CACP/CPA were to have taken the trouble to DO YOUR HOMEWORK before the recent news conference to which you refer, then you and they might have in fact been able to, as you say, "articulate well researched, factually based and reasonable conclusions", for example, about the # of times tasers have proven to be NOT so less-lethal.

It's time for you, as the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, to stop wasting dwindling Ontario taxpayer dollars on such drivel and get started on your HOMEWORK because this just may come up again. And, just as you refused to do the media's homework, I'm not going to do yours, but I WILL give you a "hint" - Robert Dziekanski, Robert C. Heston, Henry O. Bryant, Kevin Piskura, and the list goes on ... if you spend even just a few moments either browsing through this website or Googling taser+cause of death and/or taser+contributing factor, you will be amazed to see that the taser has been identified as the CAUSE of death or a CONTRIBUTING FACTOR of death in many cases.

Once you have all completed your homework, then the next time you open your mouth on this subject intending to sound intelligent, you *might* actually be accused of conduct more becoming of someone in your position.

Oh, and my fellow blogger Excited-Delirium had this to add:

Fantino needs to pull the Taser Spokespuppet arm out of his ass. He's spounting obsolete nonsense.

Even Taser International has been forced to limit the geographical scope of these outrageous claims - they used to claim worldwide coverage until the inevitable leakage of escaped statistics caught up with them. Recently they claimed Canada, until the Dziekanski autopsy report listed the taser as a cause of death.

Tasers have been linked (by coroners) to about 69 deaths so far (including Mr. Dziekanski's). And this is just in the cases studied, where the researchers were able to obtain the autopsy reports. It's running 37% of the taser-death cases studied.

Tasers have been identified as a contributing CAUSE of death in many autopsy reports. Not to mention that most people would agree that "contributed to" means exactly the same thing as "partially caused".

Taser International has been found partially liable for at least one death. It won't be the last.

Even the RCMP now has acknowledged that tasers carry a "risk of death" ESPECIALLY if the subject is agitated. And there is nothing taken out of context about that clear admission.

This attitude is clear and compelling evidence that a moratorium is REQUIRED to allow time for such misleading rubbish propaganda to be removed from Police Leadership - one way or the other.


Julian Fantino responds to FANTINO'S ACT GROWS TIRESOME

Editor:

At the outset I wish to express my sense of personal pride to have Mr. Den Tandt compare me to Don Cherry, who I regard as a modern day Canadian icon.

I suppose that in the views of the author, those of us who have come to this country as immigrants, who have honourably served the apprentice of becoming Canadian citizens and who in my case have dedicated some 40 years to public service should be unceremoniously dismissed as an increasing embarrassment simply because it appears that I don't happen to fit the stereotypical views held by some that I am not entitled to express my views and do so about a subject I have intimate knowledge and experience.

Unlike the author, I am not confused, lost in the weeds or otherwise puffed up about a minute quantity of instantly acquired knowledge regarding the relevance and true value of Conducted Energy Weapons (Tasers) in modern-day policing. Nor would I ever attack the author on a personal level asking that his employer fire him for being devoid of journalistic integrity about a profession he seems to know very little about. I am, however very comfortable knowing as I do that I happen to have all the right enemies! I am also not deterred about standing up for what I believe and feel that as a Canadian citizen I am well entitled to express my views, speak the truth, state facts and dispel the kind of misinformation to which the public has been exposed about the Tasers, now further amplified by the author.

If the author were to have taken the trouble to be present at the recent news conference at which representatives of both the Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Police Association articulated well researched, factually based and reasonable conclusions about the importance of Tasers as a less lethal force option available to police officers in the execution of their mandated duties, he might have understood far better the context and the relevance of the position taken by two professional associations that are truly representative of most police officers working in police agencies across the country.

Regardless of the uninformed views of some, including the author, and no matter the personal cheap shots on his part, the irrefutable bottom line is that there have been no studies, no research, no factual evidence to date that prove that the use of a Taser by a police officers in the lawful execution of their duty has ever been found to have been the direct cause of a fatality. Admittedly, the use of any force option by a police officer including the Taser as with all other use of force equipment; must be lawful, there must be proper policies in place along with appropriate training and accountability. We said all that and want to move forward towards a national model for the use of Tasers.

As much as public debate about significant public and officer safety issues is helpful, what is not helpful is personal attacks and the ssemination of misinformation, mischaracterization and uninformed rhetoric about the police use of Tasers that seems to be masqueraded as the legitimate freedom of the press. If the writer can, as he should, feel that he has the constitutional entitlement to free speech, he also needs to realize that my rights and those of police officers in this country are no less and he needs to come to terms with the fact that when we picked up our badge to serve the citizens of Canada, we did not at the same time surrender our rights to speak and be heard about issues that not only impact on our safety as police officers, but equally so on the safety of all Canadians.

Julian Fantino Commissioner Ontario Provincial Police

Letter to the Editor: stun guns an effective policing tool

If only I had the time to fully respond to this load of crap!! This guy's obviously bought the company line - lock, stock and barrel.

Repeating the mantra of the brainwashed that the taser is a "less dangerous option than a firearm", he asks and answers the following question: "Does the deployment of a CED have the capability of avoiding serious bodily harm and/or death to all involved parties that might otherwise have led to the use of a firearm? Without a doubt -- yes." I would counter with a question and answer of my own: "Does the deployment of a CED have the capability of CAUSING serious bodily harm and/or death to ONE OR MORE involved parties that might otherwise NOT HAVE LED to the use of a firearm? Without a doubt -- yes."

January 7, 2009
Owen Sound Sun Times

Editor:

Recently, there have been many points of view expressed across the country, the province and the Owen Sound area regarding the pros and cons of Tasers.

Conducted Energy Devices (CED) are recognized by the global policing community as a valuable tool and a less dangerous option than a firearm. The CBC News study has identified pre-2005 models of the X-26 Taser that were recommended for re-testing. As a result, some police services have taken the step of testing those particular models. Currently, the X-26 Tasers deployed by the Owen Sound Police Services are a newer production line of this device and therefore were not part of the recommended re-testing. As well, it should be pointed out that the name Taser is a registered trademark name and although more popular than other such devices is still only one type of CED marketed throughout the world for military, law enforcement and, where permitted by law, civilian use.

Police officers are required to respond and intervene in a variety of situations involving the risk of violence, injury or death to members of the public and the police. Often these situations require immediate intervention, where the condition and emotional state of the subject is uncertain.

Police officers require a range of use of force options, often referred to as the use of force continuum, which include verbal commands, negotiation, physical restraint, intermediate force options, and deadly force. CED's are one such intermediate force option, which have been successful in reducing injury to officers and violent subjects as compared to other use of force options, including lethal force.

As a front-line supervisor with over 22 years of policing experience, what I can personally attest to is that next to the introduction of the semi-automatic handgun, the technology of the CED, has been potentially one of the top use of force options that have been made available to front-line policing over that time period. Any officer who has or will be forced into a potentially life-threatening situation should be permitted to utilize this device to assist with the peaceful resolution of the situation.

During my career, I have been critically shot in the line of duty, been forced to discharge my firearm in order to protect myself and have had immediate family members who are in the policing profession discharge their firearm in order to protect themselves and others. These are split second decisions that are made by front-line officers across the country on a daily basis. They are never taken lightly. Anyone that would express the thought that it is better to potentially have a loved one shot with a firearm versus deploying a CED has possibly missed why the device was introduced in the first place. Do firearms have the potential for taking a person's life when discharged? Absolutely! Will this affect the loved ones of the person(s) involved as well as the officer(s)? Unfortunately yes -- and it will for the rest of their days.

Does the deployment of a CED have the capability of avoiding serious bodily harm and/or death to all involved parties that might otherwise have led to the use of a firearm? Without a doubt -- yes.

Currently, the Police Association of Ontario (PAO) which represents over 32,000 police and civilian members supports the e of CED's as an occupational health and safety measure to reduce injury to members of the public, violent subjects and police officers; we support standardized training, reporting and accountability of the use of CED's; as well as the deployment to all front-line police officers after having received the approved training.

The public does require more information both for and against the use of such devices. At the same time the media needs to report with the same enthusiasm on the positives of how such devices can actually defuse situations and save many more lives on a weekly basis across the entire country when police officers are faced with potentially life-threatening situations.

In the meantime, police officers across the province will await the recommendations from the Canadian Police Research Centre on the safety of CED's for both police and the public and will continue to do the job that they have been sworn to uphold.

Bill Rusk
President
Owen Sound Police Association

LETTER: Tasers are not safe

December 19, 2008
BY Linda Green, Columbia (Missouri)

Just as war is too important to leave up to generals, Taser use is too important to leave up to the police and to the for-profit Taser company, which has been running the show. In a community meeting, I heard the police officer, who is instructing local police in Taser use say, "Tasers are safe." In the face of the local serious injuries and the nearby death associated with police Taser use, I find that officer's statement chilling and grossly inaccurate.

Police Taser use is under scrutiny in communities all over the U.S., as we try to come to terms with a weapon that has not been sufficiently tested, and through experience, is proving much more dangerous than we originally thought. It is fine to look at police injuries before and after the introduction of Tasers, but we must not neglect the other side of the coin — injuries to the public by police use of Tasers.

It takes an informed and involved public and accurate and transparent information to preserve and run a democracy. Checks and balances are built into our governing system, and it is entirely appropriate that all these democratic principles apply to the public's desire to have the facts and input on police Taser use in our community. We have the right and even the obligation as citizens to question whatever governs us, including police Taser use, especially when drastic problems involving the public's rights are apparent. We must preserve our democratic citizens' rights to gain accurate and complete information, to require regulations sufficient to protect the public, as well as the police, and to insist that those regulations are followed.

Letter to the Editor: Kaye should test tasers

December 13, 2008
Owen Sound Sun Times

Editor:

Is Tom Kaye for real? According to the news I've heard, including this very story (in the Sun Times), several people's deaths have indeed been linked to the use of Tasers.

So either he's clueless or the Canadian public is being horribly misinformed by the news media.

And then he says that emotion and humanity have no place in the setting of public policy -- well, if there's no humanity in public policy I'd say we're in a really bad way.

I also find it shocking that he has no plans to test the four Tasers Owen Sound police have, especially considering that two of them are the questionable models that may be dangerous. How much effort would this take?

I guess he'd call me hysterical, but as a mother of two young men (fortunately law-abiding) I would rather my sons be shot in the leg with a real gun than Tasered in an attempt to subdue them.

This story was a real headshaker. I had to reread it a couple of times to make sure he said what I thought he said.

Pretty scary stuff.

Stephanie Mordeen
Wiarton

Letter to the Editor: Police Commission needs to step in on taser issue and test stun guns

December 13, 2008
Owen Sound Sun Times

Editor:

There is an old saying : "None are so blind as those who WILL not see." One need only look as far as Owen Sound Police Chief Tom Kaye for a prime example. No sooner had an unbiased CBC study of Tasers come out that indicated older models often fire overcharged voltage, than Kaye was out defending Tasers once again, including Owen Sound's older models which were the subject of the study. He stubbornly refuses to test this city's Tasers. So what is wrong with this man? It's one thing to adhere to one's belief, but to do it blindly is sheer folly.

All B. C. law enforcement agencies and its RCMP, the N. B. police forces, and many other municipalities think testing is a good idea. One can only wonder if Kaye is totally unmonitored by the Police Commission in this city -- where are they on this issue?

For Kaye to suggest that there has not even been a "casual" relationship between the deaths of 25 Canadians after Tasering is blind pig-headed nonsense, to put it bluntly.

To accuse myself and others of relying on emotion and compassion is self-delusional on his part, not that I mind being tarred with the brush of compassion. By the way, tell that to the widows and children of those who died after being Tasered, be it from excited delirium or not.

The fact of the matter is, without the Taser, and with common sense and some psychology, these deceased would still be alive today, and probably getting help for their problems, or be incarcerated if that is applicable.

It is well time that Chief Kaye opens his eyes. We are not some deep southern backwater and we do not appreciate being treated as such. I urge the Owen Sound Police Commission to sit down and talk to Chief Kaye about close-mindedness and willngness to listen to the opinions and advice of others -- be they cops or JUST civilians. Who knows, he might just see the light.

Tim Thompson
Annan