Friday 16 November 2007
Taser Best Option For NZ Police
Tasers are clearly the best less-than-lethal force option for New Zealand Police, and video footage of a man dying after
being tasered and arrested by Canadian police has no bearing on that assessment, Police Association Vice-President
Stuart Mills said today.
"The cause of death in the Vancouver case has not been determined. Nevertheless, this is clearly a tragedy for the
family, and the actions of the officers involved will no doubt be subject to intense scrutiny by Canadian authorities,
as they should be in a case involving a fatality such as this," Mr M
ills said.
"But however tragic the death, it has no bearing on the assessment of whether Tasers should be available to New Zealand
Police."
"New Zealand Police are generally unarmed, unlike their Canadian counterparts, and being called upon to respond to more
and more volatile and violent situations where lives are at risk. Officers themselves are also facing record numbers of
violent assaults."
"As the recently concluded trial showed, Tasers provide an effective way to deal with those situations without being
forced to resort to lethal force. There were no incidents of inappropriate use in the year-long New Zealand trial, and
the device almost certainly prevented Police, members of the public, and offenders from suffering serious injury or
worse," Mr Mills said.
ENDS