NEW ZEALAND: The shocking truth about Tasers

July 17, 2011
Ian Steward, Sunday Star Times

A 14-year-old boy and a 70-year-old man are among the New Zealanders stunned by police Tasers since their introduction last year.

Figures obtained by the Sunday Star-Times show police have "presented" Tasers to offenders 797 times since March 2010 and, of these, they were fired 102 times. However, the police's Tactical Options Research database shows the weapons were ineffective on 36 of those 102 occasions, meaning the weapons worked only two-thirds of the time.

Green MP Keith Locke was concerned police needed to stun a pensioner and a teenager rather than subdue them in other ways. A 70-year-old could easily have a heart condition or circulatory problems – which had been linked to serious injury and death from Tasers overseas – and the boy's development could be harmed by being put in "a state of terror".

Locke said it had been observed in New Zealand's Taser trial and in overseas police forces that it was "just so tempting" for officers to pull out the Taser to induce compliance when other tactics were available.

"Do we want a form of policing that uses the terror of possible use?"

Police national firearm and taser project manager Superintendent John Rivers said Tasers were resulting in far fewer injuries to police.

"Not that many years ago I would have thought hand-to-hand engagement is a benign option – the hell it is. Far more people and police get hurt when it comes to fighting and scragging."

Police Association president Greg O'Connor also defended Tasers over hand-to-hand conflict.

"The worst injuries I got were from trying to subdue somebody who didn't want to be subdued."

Rivers defended the Tasers, saying they were a "less-lethal" option but they could have "unforseen consequences".

"We can't promise that some time in the future [a death or injury won't occur]. That's just the nature of policing."

Police said the 36 failures were due to "operator error" with the two probes either missing the offender or failing to lodge in their skin.

More worryingly, the stun guns have been fired more times by accident than in the line of duty, with concerns over officers' ineptitude with the weapons borne out by the statistic that Tasers have been "unintentionally discharged" 108 times.

All but one of these accidental firings has occurred during "pre-operation sign out checks" at police stations, predominantly where officers failed to notice a loaded Taser cartridge prior to carrying out checks.

The other accidental firing took place inside a police car, but police were unable to provide details.

Rivers said the failure rate was in line with international statistics.

"It's not infallible. There's no surprises in the way things are tracking."

The definition of a Taser being ineffective had recently been widened to include another option having to be used.

Several of those cases occurred because the incapacitation was "short term" and police had not moved in to restrain the person in time and they had "recommenced" their behaviour.

Rivers said the accidental discharges had not resulted in any injuries but he said it was "frustrating".

Ad Feedback Locke, an outspoken critic of Tasers, said the large number of times Tasers were presented showed a "mission creep" towards policing through fear.

"I would question whether the 797 times [would all] fit the guide line of serious danger to the officer."

He would not criticise the amount of training officers got with Tasers but he said: "You can never get enough training."

Feedback from officers on the ground was that "it has made them and the people they police safer".

Police getting Taser with longer prongs

We have grave concerns over this news -- longer probes? It would seem logical that the longer the probe, the more energy would be transmitted in the body. Has Taser International done any research on the physiological effects of shocks using longer probes? One would think the transfer of energy would be vastly different than standard issue, because every extra molecule of metal would transfer current. Are these probes being utilized in Canada??

May 1, 2011
New Zealand Herald

A high failure rate has led to police being armed with new Taser cartridges with longer prongs that can penetrate thicker clothing.

It is understood at least some police have been using the new Taser cartridges, which also have a greater range, since January this year.

Sources say the change was made because the original Taser prongs were having difficulty penetrating heavy clothing.

Police figures show the X26 Tasers have had a greater than 25 per cent failure rate since they were reintroduced in 2010.

National operations manager Superintendent Barry Taylor, who was asked in January about the changes and why they were made, has now said that he is withholding responses because "the information would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial".

Tasers had been discharged 63 times since they were introduced nationally in 2010. They were ineffective in 17 of those cases.

Eight times, the Tasers detached from the subject or their clothing. In another eight cases, the subject was missed by either one or both probes.

The reason the charge did not work in the other case was still being determined.

Despite the figures, Mr Taylor said, police remained confident of the effectiveness of the Taser.

Police continued to monitor its use, while "utilising opportunities to enhance its operational efficacy", he said.

He also withheld answers to questions about whether any new Taser capabilities had implications from a medical point of view, or if staff using them were being retrained.

The original police-issue X26 cartridges operate optimally up to 5m. The specifications of the new cartridge are unclear, but on its website the Taser's manufacturer says it also makes cartridges for the X26 to suit warm or cold climates, including one - the XP cartridge - that is "ideal for colder climates" and "has a longer probe to penetrate thicker clothing".

Another cartridge features the longer prongs and adds a 10.5m range for situations "where the extra distance is needed".

Asked if she was aware of the changes to Tasers, Police Minister Judith Collins said it was an operational matter for police, but she was happy with any operational change that made police safer in their work.

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said it was important police equipment be adapted so it was right for local conditions.

"The more effective it is, the safer it is for both the [target] and the officer."

Billings inquest: Bain's death in custody due to meth

A concerned Canadian wrote a very interesting comment on the news reports that follows below. Here's the Canadian's take on the matter:

As you reported in "Bain's Incustody Death Due To Meth", there can be no doubt the drug played a part, but to rule out the multi-stuns of the Taser as possible contributing factor, shows just how ignorant or biased this "medical expert" is. Taser shocks, especially when repeated or prolonged can cause cardiac arhythmias BUT can also lead to life-threatening metabolic acidosis.

In the only successful product liability case against Taser (Heston Vs. TI) two years ago, lawyer John Burton argued successfully that the company's scientists never tested for possible changes to blood chemistry caused by Taser shocks. The Six-Million dollar judgement is on appeal, but the point was made: Tasers can cause acidosis. Please realise Tasers cause muscle strands to twitch uncontrollably. This results in an unnatural surge of lactic acid throughout the blood stream. The acid/base balance in the blood is extremely narrow. If your PH falls fast and far enough, it can cause the muscles around the heart to cease operation, with often deadly effect.

Taser International has acknowledged this, albeit in the fine-print of the latest Training Bulletin # 17 issued quietly last May, for company insiders, Taser trainers and anyone willing to take the 40-minutes needed to download the bulletin from the company's website. Every police officer, share-holder, investor, insurer and government official who sanctions the use of Tasers should read the very long list of risks and warnings, including that of acidosis caused by Taser stuns.

A decade ago when ECDs began flooding the market, everyone was reassured by the manufacturers and the police that these new electrical devices were "safe to use on any assailant" and were "non-lethal". Within several years, especially after the related death toll began to climb, the wording was changed to "less than lethal". Somehow now, after 537 deaths in North America, proximal to Taser use, the language used to describe the devices has changed again to LETHAL. This was the conclusion of the Braidwood Inquiry in Canada. And now in the fine print, ostensibly to reduce the sting of future liabilites, Taser International is admitting the same thing-- Tasers can KILL. This is not what we were all told a decade ago. Did human physiology somehow change in the last ten years, making Tasers more deadly? Or was there a distinct lack of science applied to ensure the weapons were as safe as advertised?

And before a definitive cause of death is decided in the Bains case, the medical examiner should have the Taser involved tested independently, to ensure there is no 'output variance', because as we discovered in Canada, not all Tasers perform the same way. Eighty percent of the older model tasers tested in BC failed, after being sent to the one lab in the country equipped for such tests; eighty percent of the weapons had outputs outside of the safety allowables set by the manufacturer. Those older M26 models were pulled from service, coast-to-coast. Since there is no way of testing Tasers regularly in any police detachment in North America, how do your police or ME know for sure, if they have a defective Taser on their hands or not?

Concerned Canadian,
Vancouver, BC.

April 7, 2011
KRTV.com (Montana)

A coroner's inquest in Billings has determined that the death of Ryan Bain was not a crime.

The jury determined that Bain's death was caused by methamphetamine use.

The coroner's inquest was investigating the death of Bain after he was Tased multiple times and died later in custody.

On October 10, 2010, law enforcement authorities say Bain was seen running naked down the street and stole a van. Officers eventually caught up to him and tried to take him into custody. Officers believed he was under the influence of drugs and say he was non-compliant.

Bain was Tased multiple times and taken to YCDF where authorities say he refused to cooperate and was Tased again. He was placed in a holding cell and a short time later suffered cardiac arrest.

During the second day of the inquest, two medical doctors testifying in the inquest into Ryan Bain's death said that his death appeared to be the result of a methamphetamine overdose and not the direct result of being tasered.

A large amount of medical testimony was presented at day two of the inquest.

American Medical Rescue paramedic Robyn Harper testified saying when she arrived, Bain was essentially dead. Harper called St. Vincent Healthcare emergency room Dr. Sheldon Nelson. After 21 minutes of working on Bain, Dr. Nelson told medics they could stop CPR efforts. That was at 12:19 am. Seconds later, Harper was unplugging a monitor and was "surprised" to see that Bain had a pulse. They took to the emergency room.

St. Vincent Emergency Doctor Sheldon Nelson treated Bain when he arrived at he hospital. He told the jury there is no specific treatment plan for someone who is has taken methamphetamine and that it just has "to wear off." Dr. Nelson said Bain was comatose the entire time he saw him. However his heart rate was up, but that his blood pressure was adequate to extremely low. Bain had multiple medical test done. Dr. Nelson said he believes Bain's death was the cause of an "extremely significant overdose of meth."

Dr. Kristin Spanjian, an intensivist who oversees care at the Intensive Care Unit at St. Vincent's testified by video. The interview was conducted March 17. Dr. Spanjian says the cardiac arrest was due to "acute methamphetamine intoxication." She said the taser likely did not play a role in his death because he would have suffered cardiac arrest shortly after the incident.She went on to explain that people with severe acute meth intoxication display signs of severe acidosis, which is increased acidity in the blood. Bain had a ph of 6.9. The normal ph level is a 7.4. She said some of the factors leading to his cardiac arrest were the acidosis, the chemical reaction in his body and dehydration.

Bain's former fiancee Kalli Ackerman took the stand saying she lost contact with Bain for 45 minutes on October 10, 2010. When she saw him again at her father's house, he appeared to be fine at first and then quickly did not make sense and was hot to the touch. She tried taking him to the hospital, but Bain's mental state quickly changed and he did not recognize her and appeared to be afraid of her. She said she was begging him to get help when he took off running down an alley. That was the last time she saw Bain alive.

Taser maintenance issue raised in Palo Alto independent police auditor's report

March 19, 2011
Jesse Dungan, San Jose Mercury

Palo Alto's independent police auditor is keeping an eye on Taser maintenance following an incident in which one of the devices malfunctioned when it was used on a combative suspect, according to a report released this week.

"It hasn't risen to the level where we think things have really gotten haywire and no one's taking care of their Tasers, but if we do see a pattern, we may recommend more needs to be done," said Michael Gennaco, one of the report's authors.

The auditor's report details complaints against the police department, changes in policies and Taser use by officers, but it does not provide times or locations of incidents.

The incident that caught the auditor's attention involved a nearly hour-long search for a burglar, which ended with officers and a police dog trying to nab the suspect. He resisted arrest when confronted in a fenced-in area, didn't show any pain when bitten and may have been under the influence of a controlled substance, according to the report.

During the seven-minute scuffle, two officers used their Tasers, including a sergeant whose device didn't produce an electric shock when he fired it at the suspect's back. The other officer fired her Taser at the man's chest and cycled it for 10 seconds, but it had little effect. She then pressed the Taser against the man's back as he continued to struggle.

The officers were justified in their use of Tasers and the police department did a good job of documenting the incident, according to the auditor's report. Another officer used the camera on his Taser to record part of the incident.

But the report noted, "One of the two Tasers deployed did not seem to work at all. After the incident, there were problems downloading the data and getting an accurate time stamp on it. The department has acknowledged these issues from previous Taser uses and we will continue to monitor its efforts to perfect maintenance and infrastructure for this weapon."

Palo Alto police Lt. Sandra Brown said Friday the incident examined by the auditor was an anomaly. The sergeant's Taser experienced some sort of software malfunction, which may have been a manufacturer problem, and the device later had to be rebooted. There is no widespread mechanical problem with the Tasers used by members of the Palo Alto Police Department, she said.

However, the department has taken steps to improve maintenance since Tasers were introduced four years ago, Brown said. For example, officers on Thursday were trained how to take apart and clean their stun guns, she said.

Previously, officers turned their Tasers in to be cleaned periodically, but that practice resulted in less frequent maintenance.

Brown said officers also "spark test" the devices before their shifts to make certain they're in working condition.

According to the auditor's report, no officers have fired a Taser since the police department revised its policy to reflect recent court opinions about stun gun use.

"It would be entirely speculative to conclude whether this is the result of fear of criticism by officers, a misunderstanding of the policy, or simply the absence of appropriate circumstances in the field necessitating the use of a Taser," the report states.

NYPD probes possible stun gun malfunction

October 4, 2010
WCAX.com

NEW YORK (AP) - New York City police are looking into why a stun gun apparently failed before a knife-wielding man was shot to death by officers.

The NYPD says Emmanuel Paulino was shot several times after he refused to drop a 6-inch knife and lunged at officers.

A police sergeant had first fired a Taser stun gun. Police say the suspect pulled 1 of the prongs out of his body.

Paulino was hit several times. Police say officers fired a total of 9 shots after the suspect backed them into a parked car.

Last year, the department's Medal of Honor winner, Sgt. Timothy Smith, was stabbed in the eye by a suspect who was unaffected by a stun gun.

The Score: Suspects 9 - Taser 0

Just within the last 24 hours, 9 separate cases of tasers malfunctioning and-or having no effect whatsoever:

The Taser did not deter ...

Shocked with a Taser stun gun to no effect ...

Attempts to stop him with a Taser stun gun and beanbag shots were unsuccessful ...

An earlier attempt to Taser the man failed ...

Officers Tasered him, but he broke free and continued to flee ...

He immediately Tased her, but with both barbs imbedded in her side she continued to fight. The officer than pressed the barrel of the weapon against her and fired the Taser again, this time stunning her into partial submission ...

The officer tried to use his Taser on the suspect ... at that point, investigators say the suspect pulled a gun and fired at the officer several times ...

After the struggle to restrain Onyenwe on the bridge failed, the lieutenant told everyone to back off and fired his Taser, which malfunctioned ...

One of the deputies fired a Taser and shocked Mills, but that didn't stop the armed man ...

Taser performance testing instrument unveiled at international police show

April 29, 2010
TASERS: PERFORMANCE TESTING INSTRUMENT UNVEILED AT INT'L POLICE SHOW
Richmond BC Company Makes Testing of TASER® Weapons Easy and Affordable With New Device
Attention: Health/Medical Editor, News Editor, Tech/Telecomm Editor, World News Editor, Government/Political Affairs Editor

RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, MEDIA ADVISORY--(Marketwire - April 29, 2010) - Datrend Systems Inc., a Richmond BC company, has developed a new device which will enable police services to test and confirm the electrical performance of its TASER® arsenal on a routine basis. Designed for use by police officers rather than laboratory specialists, the tabletop device automatically performs the electrical tests recommended in the Report of the Braidwood Inquiry(1) in addition to tests specified by the weapon manufacturer. Test records produced and maintained by the device provide objective, documented evidence of weapon conformance. Cost-effective and flexible, the device may be set to pass or fail a weapon based on acceptability criteria defined by the manufacturer, law enforcement agency, or government.

"As a leading supplier of biomedical test instruments to hospitals around the world, our testers are used every day to assure the safety and effectiveness of medical devices that apply electricity in treatment or diagnosis" says Ron Evans, President of Datrend Systems Inc. "We've adapted years of experience and know-how in testing of electromedical devices to the needs of the public and the police for greater, ongoing assurance of TASER® electrical output."

The test device, Verus One, is relevant to any jurisdiction worldwide in which TASERS may be deployed, including the Department of Defense, Corrections Facilities and others. Verus One will be demonstrated at the 2010 International Conference for Police and Law Enforcement Executives in Toronto Canada on May 2. The product is expected to be available in the third quarter of 2010.

(1) Restoring Public Confidence: Restricting the Use of Conducted Energy Weapons in British Columbia, (http://www.braidwoodinquiry.ca/)

Hundreds of faulty RCMP Tasers destroyed or pulled

April 18, 2010
The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — The RCMP has destroyed or retired hundreds of Tasers after laboratory tests found some Mountie stun guns were not performing properly.

Internal RCMP notes obtained by The Canadian Press say 15 per cent of the older M26 model Tasers and one per cent of the newer X26 models did not test within technical tolerances.

Draft statistics provided by the force say that as of December, 149 M26s and 60 X26s from across the country had not performed within specifications.

The Tasers that did not meet tolerances "were destroyed and replaced by divisions," says a December briefing note to RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, released under the Access to Information Act.

In addition, the draft figures indicate several RCMP divisions had either replaced or planned to retire more than 200 other M26 stun guns.

The RCMP declined to provide additional updates, saying the force would publish the final test results this spring.

It's "inherently problematic" that the RCMP, which has been using Tasers for more than eight years, didn't test the devices before putting them in the field, said Rob Holmes, president of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association.

"It should have been done from the get-go."

Serious questions of stun gun reliability first arose in December 2008 when a scientific review commissioned by the CBC and French-language Radio-Canada concluded that four out of 41 guns tested actually discharged more electrical current than Taser International says is possible.

In some of the test firings the police weapons delivered 50 per cent more current.

Last June, Elliott ordered all Tasers in the RCMP inventory be tested. A short time earlier, he directed all divisions to pull their M26s from service until testing could confirm they were operating within specifications.

The RCMP's testing protocol was developed in January 2009 by MPB Technologies, an independent electronics lab, with input from the government-run Canadian Police Research Centre, Carleton University scientists and stun gun manufacturer Taser International.

The RCMP has long maintained the Taser contributes to officer and public safety when properly used in appropriate situations by well-trained officers.

Critics say police use the powerful devices to make unco-operative people comply with orders even when they don't pose a threat to officers or bystanders.

The force is working on an overhaul of its Taser policy following recommendations from inquiries prompted by the death of air passenger Robert Dziekanski.

Dziekanski, en route to British Columbia from Poland to join his mother, Zofia Cisowski, died in October 2007 after being hit with a Mountie Taser at the Vancouver airport.

A video of the confrontation filmed by a fellow passenger, in which an agitated and disoriented Dziekanski is zapped repeatedly, was seen by millions of people -- stirring public outrage and widespread re-examination of stun gun use.

The RCMP recently apologized to Cisowski and agreed to a financial settlement.

The RCMP's Taser destruction and retirement program represents a shift towards the newer-model stun gun, seen as more technically reliable than the older version.

As of mid-March there were 1,114 M26 Tasers in use by the RCMP, down from 1,623 when testing began, and 2,262 X26 Tasers in the Mountie inventory, up from 1,561.

Former judge Thomas Braidwood, who led a B.C. public inquiry on Taser use, said while the guns can kill or gravely injure people, they can also be a valuable option for officers.

In an initial report, Braidwood said police should use a Taser only when someone is causing harm to another or there's a possibility they will imminently do so. He also recommended that stun guns be tested periodically.

Alberta has declared that Tasers used in the province be tested annually and that any new ones be scrutinized before being put into service.

"As a result of the guidelines issued by B.C. and Alberta, a long-term strategy will have to be developed for ongoing testing," says the RCMP briefing note.

Taser International did not respond to a request for comment on the RCMP-commissioned lab tests.

The taser as FOREPLAY

According to Taser International, tasers SAVE LIVES every day!

Last night in New Orleans: Man Tasered, then Fatally Shot - NOPD said when officers entered the room they gave orders to Harris to disarm himself but he refused to comply and came towards them. Officers said they then employed their Tasers on Harris, but he did not flinch. A third officer opened fire with his service weapon, hitting the man in the chest and leg. Man Tasered, then Fatally Shot

Yesterday in Orlando: Deputy Shoots, Kills Homeless Man - The deputy fired his Taser at King, but missed ... Once [the deputy] reached the suspect, he pulled out the knife on the officer leaving him no option but to shoot him. Deputy Shoots, Kills Homeless Man

Officer Suspended After Shocking Handcuffed Man, Taser Malfunction

Thursday, April 8, 2010

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus Division of Police officer was in trouble on Thursday, accused of shocking a handcuffed man with a Taser.

An investigation revealed that the Taser malfunctioned and the shock lasted about four times longer than it should have, 10TV's Maureen Kocot reported.

In May of 2008, police officers responded to a call from witnesses complaining about an intoxicated man who was yelling and threatening to kill himself with a knife.

Police handcuffed the man and put him in the back of a cruiser, but surveillance video from inside the cruiser shows he continued to be uncooperative and belligerent, Kocot reported.

Officers repeatedly ordered the man to stop banging his head on the window and kicking the door.

The officer warned the prisoner if he continued, he will be shocked with a Taser, but the man continued to kick the door and yell, demanding to talk to the officer's captain.

The man was shocked with a Taser, but the blast lasted 22 seconds. It was supposed to last about five seconds, Kocot reported.

The officer told investigators the Taser was flashing random numbers, an indication the weapon was rebooting.

Experts said if a Taser is deployed when it starts to reboot, it keeps sparking or shocking, Kocot reported.

"We have not had any repeat type of incident out of it since," said Columbus Police Sgt. Brian Bruce. "It's just a one time thing."

Investigators discovered a faulty gasket caused the Taser to reboot. Since the incident, police replaced the gaskets in 315 Tasers, and said the malfunction remains an isolated incident, Kocot reported.

The division has trained officers on how to recognize if a Taser malfunctions and what to do if it happens again.

The officer involved in the incident received a 30-day suspension for Tasing a handcuffed prisoner, but he is appealing that decision.

Taser cams? Ontario hasn't ruled out outfitting stun guns with video cameras

April 5, 2010
By Romina Maurino, Canadian Press

TORONTO — Tasers with cameras attached to them that produce video evidence when the controversial weapons are used on people is an option Ontario is considering, the provincial government says.

While Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci hasn't committed to the move, he said he hasn't ruled it out as part of ongoing discussions about how to best use Tasers.

"No decision has been made, but there is some dialogue with regards to that particular device being attached to the weapon," said Bartolucci, who last week promised tighter rules and standard training for Taser use.

"We're looking at it."

The RCMP is already testing two kinds of cameras that record Taser firings, in Kelowna, B.C., and Moncton, N.B., while Ottawa police have also tested the cameras.

Larry Molyneaux, president of the Police Association of Ontario, said he sees little use for the cameras currently on the market because they provide a limited view of an incident.

"The difficulty is that it only shows you the immediate threat - it doesn't show you what leads up to that, it doesn't show you what occurs after," Molyneaux said.

"You really don't get the whole picture, because a lot of it has to do with what leads up to the incident."

Emile Therien, past president of the Canada Safety Council, said any consideration of the cameras is a small step - and one likely brought on by public pressure after the death of Robert Dziekanski in 2007. Dziekanski died after he was Tasered by four Mounties at Vancouver International Airport in a confrontation that was recorded by a bystander.

That video contradicted some of the statements made by the officers and led to several inquiries, including a two-part probe by retired judge Thomas Braidwood. His final report is due in a few weeks.

Last week, Dziekanski's mother received an apology from the RCMP, as well as a financial settlement.

Therien said he doubts Braidwood will recommend cameras, adding that what's really needed is a national standard.

"What it comes down to is well-trained people, (and) limiting the use of Tasers to those who are well trained," said Therien.

The RCMP, he added, has to make sure there are Canada-wide standards and controls in place, and that they are being followed - especially given the fact that one in 20 of the devices have been acknowledged to fail.

"It's the only electrical product sold in the western world that doesn't have a standard," Therien said.

NDP justice critic Peter Kormos called the incorporation of video cameras into Tasers "naive to the point of being silly."

"This is Star Wars sort of stuff - we all know the quality of the image that you get," Kormos said.

"All this does is underscore the fact that the science around Tasers is far from complete, far from thorough."

Civil liberties groups have also questioned what will happen to the video and audio after they are recorded, and said there should be protocols to ensure the digital recordings cannot be tampered with and are readily made available to police watchdogs.

While the devices would provide more evidence in cases where a person dies after being Tasered, Therien added, the cameras would also amount to an intrusion into a police officer's workplace.

They could make police hesitant to use the weapons - even in situations when they are clearly the better choice.

Of the cameras being tested by the RCMP one is called Taser Cam and is attached to the stun gun. The other, called VIDMIC, attaches to the officer's belt radio. The results from those trials will be analyzed to determine whether one or both of the devices are used more widely by the RCMP.

Both federal and provincial governments have been working on national standards for Taser use, but Ontario moved ahead with its own plan last week.

Ontario has promised tighter rules around the use of stun guns by police, including against pregnant women and children, and promised to amend provincial guidelines to include rules about deployment of the guns as well as standardized training for all users and instructors.

Bartolucci has also said training in Ontario wouldn't be provided by Taser International.

"There are particular needs when it comes to the training, we think that that training should be Ontario-centered, it shouldn't be centered on one particular manufacturer's weapon," he said.

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

I feel guilty. While I've been busy trolling the mall for dumb stuff no one really needs, my comrade (that's a good one!) over at Excited-Delirium (don't forget the dash) has been busy decking the halls with shiny baubles of another kind. For us, it's Christmas every day over at www.excited-delirium.com.

Edmonton Police Reject Taser Cams

September 5, 2009
Travis Dosser, inews 880

Edmonton Police have rejected the idea of new video-equipped tasers, which would record audio and video each time a taser is used.

Last year EPS announced it would test the video-equipped tasers, however authorities say the tests didn't produce the results they wanted, according to Global Edmonton.

The reason the results didn't go the way they wanted was because, the number of issues the new equipment had, was not worth the 400 dollar price tag for each.

The Taser Cam, attaches to the Taser X26 which city police already use, the video from the camera is often obstructed and the audio is muffled because of the Officers standard two handed grip.

The battery pack on the new unit is also prone to failure in some weather conditions, a problem that is not acceptable.

Vancouver police kill knife-wielding man after TASER FAILS

Vancouver police kill knife-wielding man
Last Updated: Saturday, September 19, 2009 11:39 AM PT Comments54Recommend28CBC News

A knife-wielding man was shot dead by Vancouver police after a Taser stun gun failed to stop him.

Police said they responded to a domestic violence call at an apartment in the 2500 block of Birch Street at about 9:30 p.m. PT Friday night

Emergency-call operators reported hearing a woman screaming and shouting that her life was being threatened.

When police officers arrived at the scene, they forced their way into a suite and confronted a man who they say was threatening a woman at knifepoint.

"The interaction resulted in the officers deploying a Taser, which at that point was ineffective," said RCMP Sgt. Peter Thiessen, speaking for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, or IHIT.

"The interaction then escalated to where the officers discharged their firearms, subsequently killing the suspect."

The man's name has not been released.

Police plan to release more details Saturday afternoon.

Officer Sues Taser Company, Claims Malfunction

September 17, 2009
Ann Butler, Dave Wax, firstcoastnews

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer who was shot six times during a gun battle with a shoplifting suspect filed a lawsuit claiming his city-issued taser gun didn't fire.

Jared Reston is suing the Taser International company and its distributor.

Reston was chasing two shoplifting suspects down Atlantic Boulevard while working off-duty at the Regency Mall in January, 2008. He got close enough to subdue one of the suspects, but he says his taser malfunctioned. The suspect pulled a gun and shot Reston six times.

Reston has since recovered, and he and his wife filed the lawsuit claiming the taser gun "was negligently designed." They are seeking damages in excess of $15,000.

The unfazed and the dead

This morning in Arkansas:
Polk Deputies Use Guns After Taser Fails
A man who couldn't be calmed down - or subdued with a taser weapon - was shot and killed by Polk County Sheriff's deputies early this morning.

And this morning in California:
Officer Involved Shooting in Calwa
... Police continued to chase the suspect to 9th and Calwa Avenue where officers used a taser on him. The taser did not stop the suspect and grabbed a wooden stick and used it in a threatening manner, forcing officers to open fire, killing the man.

And this morning in Texas:
Police Officer Unhurt In Knife-Throwing Incident
... he allegedly threw a knife at an officer. That officer then fired his Taser at the man, but said it did not have any effect. However, officers were able to subdue the man a short time later.

And on Sunday morning, in California:
Tasers finally down Sacramento parolee after rampage
... officers responded by shooting him with a Taser ... Unfazed by the jolt, Andreas Tillman pulled the prongs out of his body and then went after one of the officers and knocked him out, the CHP said. Several more officers who then arrived shot Tillman again with their Tasers and subdued him.

taser targets lucky they weren't shot

August 12, 2008
Raise a Little Hell with Tom Brodbeck
The Winnipeg Sun

The 42-year-old man who fell on his head after being Tasered by police over the weekend was lucky he wasn’t shot with a Glock. If information by police is correct that the suspect refused to drop his knife, police may have been within their rights to shoot him.

A Taser is considered an intermediate weapon that falls into the same category as batons and pepper spray. According to an RCMP use-of-force expert from B.C. who testified at the Dumas inquest, intermediate weapons are not supposed to be used by police when suspects come after them with sharp objects.

They’re supposed to draw their service pistols.

The reason for that is Tasers aren’t fool proof. I believe the expert said they work in about 80% of cases. Which means if an officer’s life is in danger, they can’t rely on an 80% success rate. They need a reliable means of stopping the threat at that point and the only option is a firearm.

The expert was asked at the inquest whether a Taser would have been a viable option for Const. Dennis Gburek, who shot Dumas (if Tasers were available to Winnipeg police in 2005). He said it would not have been an option, especially in the winter when the success rate falls even further because of heavier clothing.

So these guys brandishing knives should count their lucky stars they were only Tasered. They probably should have been shot.

Man in hospital after hit with Taser by Winnipeg police

"the suspect was shot with a Taser and fell backwards, hitting his head on the sidewalk ... the man was taken to hospital in critical condition, but has since been upgraded to stable."

The taser manufacturer and their fan club will take umbrage at the title of this news report. They will insist the headline should have read "saved by the taser" or somesuch. Speaking to the Braidwood Inquiry, Tom Smith, Chairman of Taser International said, "Are Tasers risk free? No, they cause people to FALL DOWN."

Ooooh, what a LUCKY MAN this unnamed man was! I hope he buys a lottery ticket - to be an unwitting pawn in a deadly game of RUSSIAN ROULETTE and live to tell about it!

The Winnipeg Police Service, on the other hand, is up shit's creek.

tasers "fail" ... people die

On August 2nd, Craig McDougall was shot to death after a Winnipeg Police taser failed. (To see some *mostly* intelligent debate among Canadians, be sure to read the "Comments" on that page.)

tasers "work" ... people die

Just over a week earlier, on July 22nd, members of the Winnipeg Police Service were along for the ride when seventeen-year-old Michael Langan crossed the finish line. Oops - they forgot to tell his MOM!

August 11, 2008
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

WINNIPEG — A man was recovering in hospital Monday after being hit with a Taser by Winnipeg police. It was the latest in a number of confrontations in which city police have said they were forced to fire an electronic stun gun on a suspect who refused to drop a weapon.

“Unfortunately, our members are finding themselves in situations like this more and more often,” Const. Jason Michalyshen said. “If those officers deem that their safety and other people’s safety is being jeopardized ... an electronic control device is certainly a tool that members of the police service will deploy.”

Police were called to a disturbance at a home early Sunday and encountered a 42-year-old male suspect who refused to put down a knife, Michalyshen said. The suspect was shot with a Taser and fell backwards, hitting his head on the sidewalk, he said. The man was taken to hospital in critical condition, but has since been upgraded to stable.

Winnipeg police have faced criticism this summer over how they’ve responded to situations. Michael Langan, 17, died after being Tasered in July. Police said that he, too, refused to drop a knife. On Aug. 2, an officer fatally shot Craig McDougall, 26, with a gun after officers said he refused repeated demands to drop a knife.

McDougall’s death prompted native leaders to call for a public inquiry into how the Winnipeg Police Service deals with aboriginals. Manitoba Attorney General Dave Chomiak rejected that demand, saying each death would be subject to a judicial inquest under provincial law.

Man shot to death after taser fails, Winnipeg police say

August 2, 2008
CBC News

A 26-year-old knife-wielding man was shot and killed by police in Winnipeg after they failed to subdue him with a Taser, officials say. Police responded to calls of a possible disturbance around 5:15 Saturday morning in the 700 block of Simcoe Street in the west part of the city.

When officers arrived, they confronted a man brandishing a knife, said police spokeswoman Const. Jacqueline Chaput. She said police requested that he put down his weapon.

"Information of course is preliminary, but it does appear he did not comply with the request, the electronic control device was deployed, that didn't work and they had to escalate to a higher level of force," Chaput said. She said the officer shot the man as a last resort. He was taken to hospital, but died later. At least two officers were being placed on administrative leave.

[Braidwood] Inquiry becomes a lightning rod for complaints of taser abuse

June 4, 2008
The Canadian Pre4ss

VANCOUVER — Germain Quesnel sat in an RCMP cell for an hour, believing he was having a heart attack.

He had just received two blasts from a police Taser to his chest because Staff Sgt. Lorne Malkoske said he wouldn't move away from the cell door. Quesnel, who had had two previous heart attacks, asked for his nitroglycerin medication but officers believed he was just trying to get out of jail.

An hour later he was taken to hospital where doctors confirmed he'd had a heart attack.

The report of Quesnel's Tasering is given in RCMP and complaints commission documents submitted to a B.C. public inquiry into the use of Tasers.

"I sincerely apologize to you for his actions. Your concerns were raised with (Malkoske) and he was told that his conduct was not acceptable. He has assured me this will not reoccur," said a letter sent to Quesnel from a senior RCMP officer about the March 2003 incident.

That letter is now among dozens of submissions to the B.C. inquiry. It was submitted by another man who says the same staff sergeant assaulted him with a Taser two months later.

In his submission, Phil Spicer admits he was drunk when police squeezed his 6' 5", 275-pound frame into the back of a police car.

But it was the way the Richmond, B.C., RCMP staff sergeant attempted to get Spicer, 58, out of the vehicle that set off Spicer's four-year crusade over alleged police misuse of Tasers.

With his hands cuffed behind his back, Spicer was shocked eight times while lodged in the back of a police cruiser by Malkoske.

"In view of my client's size and inability to get into the small back seat ... it would have been prudent to call a paddy wagon to transport him," explained Spicer's lawyer Wayne Guinn in a letter to Richmond RCMP.

"The problem arose when officers tried to fit too big an object into too small a place ... they created the trouble."

Spicer's lengthy submission includes police reports, a letter from the RCMP Public Complaints Commission and his allegations of excessive force in a B.C. Supreme Court lawsuit, as well as details of Quesnel's ordeal.

His story is among about three dozen sent to the Taser inquiry in B.C. from people who feel police abused their authority by using the weapon as a compliance device.

Neither Malkoske nor Quesnel could be located for comment.

Former B.C. Appeal Court justice Thomas Braidwood is conducting a two-part inquiry at the behest of the B.C. government following the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver Airport last October.

Braidwood has already held public hearings for the first phase of his inquiry and a report is expected later this year. The second phase of the inquiry, looking specifically at Dziekanski's death, will begin when other investigations are complete.

Some 2,800 Tasers are being used by more than 9,100 RCMP members across the country. Municipal and provincial police forces, correctional officers and, in the case of Vancouver, transit police, also use conductive energy weapons.

Mounties have wielded the electronic guns over 3,000 times since their introduction in December 2001. Dziekanski was the 18th person in Canada to die following a Taser strike.

Lorraine McLeod of Edmonton wrote to the inquiry about her nephew.

"I believe the Taser weapon is in the hands of police officers who are not trained to its lethal force," she said.

Taser International maintains that the weapon itself is not lethal. The question is one that will be examined by the commission.

McLeod's nephew Jason Doan, 28, stopped breathing after he was shocked three times by a Taser by Red Deer RCMP in August 2006. He died a few weeks later in hospital.

"This tragedy with my nephew Jason happened to a man who needed help not death," she stated.

Police responded to a report of a man smashing car windows and said they used the Taser after an officer was it with the wooden handle from a pitchfork.

Alison Beil wrote to the commission to say her son was "tortured" when the University of Victoria student was awoken by Saanich Police in his home and jolted five times.

And Margaret Hantuik told the commission that she called Victoria police herself when she was worried her son could hurt himself. The Grade 12 student, who has Asperger's Syndrome, a highly functioning form of autism, was stressed from exams and in a manic state.

The slight, 125-pound teen was already in the hospital when police officers used the Taser.

"I strongly believe my son was Tasered for expediency. The officers wanted to get on their way," she wrote to the commission.

"How could three strong, middle-aged officers not have held a slight, terrified lad, calmed him a bit and then shut the door?" she asked.

RCMP have come under fire almost as much for their handling of complaints about Taser use as they have for the deployment of the weapons.

According to the documents provided to the inquiry, Spicer's lawyer attempted to get the information off the Taser that would indicate when and how many times it was used.

But police said the battery had malfunctioned for the recorded information in the Taser and the data wasn't available.

A police video tape of the incident shows Spicer right up to the moments before he was shocked, then the video turns to snow. RCMP said there was a camera breakdown.

"I find Staff Sergeant Malkoske did not use excessive force when dealing with you and therefore cannot support your complaint," RCMP Supt. Ward Clapham concluded in a letter to Spicer submitted to the inquiry.

Brooke McNabb, a vice-chairman of the RCMP Public Complaints Commission, disagreed.

"I found that Staff Sgt. Malkoske did use excessive force in applying the Taser to Mr. Spicer," his letter stated.

He recommended Malkoske be provided with "operational guidance relating to RCMP policy on conducted energy weapons," and that he apologize to Spicer.

Almost four years after the incident, Beverley Busson, who went on to become a commissioner of the RCMP, sent a letter to Spicer saying Malkoske had retired and apologizing on his behalf.