Increased Taser usage questions

This could very well turn into a debate over the rights and wrongs of the proposed increase in taser carrying amongst the police, but I'd like to start with some questions. I've searched around for this and can't seem to find it, the Org being the font of all knowledge etc...

• Currently the IPCC investigate as a matter of routine fatal shootings (actually, not sure, do they investigate all weapon discharges or just those that end in a dead body?), will they be doing the same with taser incidents?
• Will anyone investigate as a matter of routine every taser discharge or is it left to the discretion of the officers involved?
• Can you tell if a taser has been discharged? Ie. handing it in to the armoury at the end of the shift and the armourer would be able to tell it's been discharged and want to know what happened?
• Rules for discharging a firearm appear to be that it can only be done so at the perceived iminent risk to life - are these the same rules that are applied to taser usage or are they to be used in other situations? Resisting arrest? Running away? Already on the ground?

The Brunstrom piece made me think - "I was completely incapable of movement. I would have fallen if I hadn't been supported by my colleagues." - it won't be long before a suspect falls and cracks their skull on a kerbstone. The first few times it'll be a genuine scrote, but sooner or later the suspect will be just that - a suspect, subsequently found to be completely innocent. I would have thought that falling injuries are going to be quite common, given that it acts on the nervous system such that you can't use your arms to cushion your fall; all the "don't worry, it's safe, here's another police chief being zapped video" have people catching the victim, obviously this ain't going to be the case out on them mean streets.

As always, Scoobs is the person to ask about this.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Grinch

As always, Scoobs is the person to ask about this.

My main concern is that I suspect it might be used on drunks who the police are fed up of talking to ('reasoning' with drunks= one of the most boring/frustrating things to do). I also think that its use will be treated too lightly (IE nowhere near the level of investigation after a gun has been fired).

Originally Posted by Grinch

As always, Scoobs is the person to ask about this.

yup

All police should have them , wit hthe ammount of tw*ts that are about nowadays it will be usefull to have.

Imagine if there was a gobby little pikey hoody who would not move on! a quick blast from a Tazar will encourage him to be on his way.

I support their use 100%, as if you are a good citizen then you have nothing to fear from the police having them.

Saying that i fully support the use of zero tollerance policing, even better let the military police the strets for a while as an experiment. I for one would relish smacking the butt of my rifle over some chavs head for not doing as he was asked.

The best police force ever in the UK is the RUC (sorry PSNI) they dont take ant sh*t, the mainland forces could lear a thing or two from those guys.

Originally Posted by Grinch

As always, Scoobs is the person to ask about this.

why? Are the rozzers always tasering him????

Originally Posted by neio79

All police should have them , wit hthe ammount of tw*ts that are about nowadays it will be usefull to have.

Imagine if there was a gobby little pikey hoody who would not move on! a quick blast from a Tazar will encourage him to be on his way.

I support their use 100%, as if you are a good citizen then you have nothing to fear from the police having them.

Saying that i fully support the use of zero tollerance policing, even better let the military police the strets for a while as an experiment. I for one would relish smacking the butt of my rifle over some chavs head for not doing as he was asked.

The best police force ever in the UK is the RUC (sorry PSNI) they dont take ant sh*t, the mainland forces could lear a thing or two from those guys.

And here we get the debate part I'm a confessed liberal lefty so you probably know what's coming

Originally Posted by neio79

All police should have them , wit hthe ammount of tw*ts that are about nowadays it will be usefull to have.

Here, I'm actually tempted to agree with you.

Originally Posted by neio79

Imagine if there was a gobby little pikey hoody who would not move on! a quick blast from a Tazar will encourage him to be on his way.

No, you arrest him for breaching the peace, infliction of summary violence with the police as judge, jury and executioner ain't the answer.

Originally Posted by neio79

I support their use 100%, as if you are a good citizen then you have nothing to fear from the police having them.

Ahh, the old "if you've nothing to hide you've nothing to fear" line. The police occasionally make mistakes, everyone does. Ask Jean Charles de-Menezes. Oh wait, you can't.

Originally Posted by neio79

I for one would relish smacking the butt of my rifle over some chavs head for not doing as he was asked.

See, in the nicest possible way, I sincerly hope that no-one with that view is ever allowed in the police. That's the way they police in Zimbabwe. (EDIT: And if there are a significant number of people in the police force with that view then I really don't want the police carrying more weapons)


I actually do kinda think that we have reached a stage where every police officer carries tasers, I just want to make damn sure that they're used only when necessary and not just because someone's being a bit gobby.

Originally Posted by Kinvig

why? Are the rozzers always tasering him????

No need to tazer him, he tazers himself.

Originally Posted by neio79

All police should have them , wit hthe ammount of tw*ts that are about nowadays it will be usefull to have.

Imagine if there was a gobby little pikey hoody who would not move on! a quick blast from a Tazar will encourage him to be on his way.

I support their use 100%, as if you are a good citizen then you have nothing to fear from the police having them.

Saying that i fully support the use of zero tollerance policing, even better let the military police the strets for a while as an experiment. I for one would relish smacking the butt of my rifle over some chavs head for not doing as he was asked.

The best police force ever in the UK is the RUC (sorry PSNI) they dont take ant sh*t, the mainland forces could lear a thing or two from those guys.

And with stupid fews like this, we can see why the government is often required to ignore the electorate. Especially when it comes to the justice system.