Taser, anyone?

[MotherBear]

Well, it just wasn?t his day, was it?

Constable zaps himself and innocent teen with Taser
Saturday November 18, 2006
By Patrick Gower

A constable who took a Taser to a central Auckland domestic dispute wound up shocking himself and a 16-year-old and later pepper-spraying an innocent 21-year-old woman.The constable accidentally blasted himself with the Taser's 50,000 volts as he reloaded the weapon while trying to stun a man at the centre of the domestic incident on October 1. One shot accidentally struck the man's teenage son.

After five attempts to hit the man, the officer eventually used pepper spray. This hit the man's 21-year-old daughter, also an unintended target. The man eventually gave himself up. The constable, who had had Taser training, was not injured.

The weapon is the police's much-vaunted alternative to firearms and is being tested by 170 frontline police in Auckland and Wellington.

Police revealed details of the incident after Weekend Herald inquiries. Detective Inspector Bernie Hollewand of Auckland City police confirmed that the constable fired the Taser five times - three times loaded with cartridges and twice in "contact" mode, where it is used like a cattle prod. The first shot hit the son.

Mr Hollewand said the officer claimed that just as the red laser sight was on the man's chest, he pulled his son across him. It is believed that at one point the officer received a jolt after putting his hand in the Taser.

"The constable did remove one of the cartridges before a five-second discharge cycle was complete and he did feel in his hand that the device was arcing 50,000 volts."

But an official police update of the Taser trial, published on October 17, makes no mention of the constable firing five times, or missing his target, zapping himself or hitting the boy. It simply says a man was contained after the Taser was fired.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad also did not mention the incident when he appeared before a parliamentary committee, saying frontline officers supported the introduction of the weapon, and yesterday National Party police spokesman Simon Power wanted to know why.

Police media officer Jon Neilson said the fact a Taser had been fired more than once in a single incident was not "relevant".

[selchie]

Mr Hollewand said the officer claimed that just as the red laser sight was on the man's chest, he pulled his son across him.

What a dad. I'm glad it wasn't a firearm that the officer used.

[MotherBear]

Opponents renew calls to abandon Taser after damning report
9:40AM Friday February 02, 2007

A damning report into the police Taser stun gun trial has prompted renewed calls from opponents for the trial to be abandoned and the weapon withdrawn.

The Auckland District Law Society report, titled Less Lethal? on the use of the 50,000 volt stun guns highlighted concerns about the casual and more frequent use of the weapon by police, a lack of insistence on strict compliance with guidelines, and a lack of guidance for multiple use of the gun.

Opponents have gone further, predicting that someone might die after being hit by the gun.

Campaign Against the Taser spokeswoman Marie Dhyrberg endorsed the report's findings, saying there had been a lack of openness in supplying information about the trial, which runs until August 31.

More here .

[MotherBear]

Tasers withdrawn as trial ends
5:03PM Friday August 31, 2007

Taser stun guns will be withdrawn from use tonight as the year-long trial of them in the Auckland and Wellington regions concludes.

Police spokesman Jon Neilson said internal and external reports on the use by officers of the 50,000 volt shock devices would now be compiled and were not expected to be completed until near Christmas.

Whether or not tasers will become a staple part of the police crime fighting arsenal is not likely to be known until next year.

Statistics released this month showed there were 120 incidents where tasers were presented since September last year, but they were discharged only 19 times.

More here .