.

Right: The Victoria Police Special Operations Group (SOG) has access to tasers, but the weapons have not yet been approved for distribution throughout the force.

Further implications

The Homicide Squad, the Police Special Investigations Unit and the Coroner are investigating Tyler Cassidy's death.
The Police Union has already called for all officers to be issued with tasers and has suggested that their use may have prevented Tyler Cassidy's death.  The Assistant Commissioner, Tim Cartwright, stated, immediately after Tyler Cassidy's death that Victoria Police had not ruled out the more general use of tasers.  However, on December 14, 2008, the Victorian premier, John Brumby, indicated that there was no immediate intention to issue Victoria Police officers with tasers. (Special operations officers already have access to the guns.)

Mr Brumby said Victoria Police often reviewed its practices but Taser stun guns were not on the agenda. 'There's no proposal for any change in practice or policy . . . ,' he said.
Mr Brumby said he was shocked and concerned at Tyler's death, but wanted to wait for the police and coroner's report before commenting. 'You hope and pray that incidents like this don't occur but tragically, sometimes they do occur,' he said. 'The best thing we can do is to take a step back and objectively look at all of the circumstances, and all of the facts and then when we have all those, move forward.'
In 1994, the state coroner, Hal Hallenstein delivered his findings on seven earlier fatal police shootings. He determined that no police officer was criminally responsible, although they contributed to the outcome by positioning themselves in such a way that they had no alternative but to shoot the victim.
Tyler Cassidy's death seems to suggest that not enough has changed in the last fourteen years. There have been calls for improved training of all Victoria Police officers so that they are better able to recognise the demands of particular hazardous situations and respond appropriately. Cordoning and containing armed or dangerous people appears to be an area in which officers need further training.  The suggestion has also been made that capsicum spray is being used hazardously, as is has the capacity to make mentally disturbed, drug-affected or otherwise agitated people worse.
These are interesting observations.  What they suggest is that weapons, per se, may not be the answer.  Capsicum spray has to be appropriately used to be effective.  The same appears to be true of tasers. Used inappropriately they can cause injury and in extreme cases death.
It would appear that training in situation analysis and appropriate tactical responses is necessary if injuries and deaths are to be kept to a minimum.