Right: Victoria Police Taser training.
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Arguments in favour of issuing Tasers to general duties Australian police
1. Tasers are a less lethal option than guns or other forms of force
It has been claimed that Tasers are less lethal than guns and often safer than the use of physical force.
In June 2011 the United States National Institute of Justice issued a report into its study of deaths following electro-muscular disruption (Taser-jolting). The Institute concluded, 'All evidence suggests that the use of CEDs carries with it a risk as low as or lower than most alternatives.' The Institute further stated, 'CED use is associated with a significantly lower risk of injury than physical force, so it should be considered as an alternative in situations that would otherwise result in the application of physical force.'
Similarly, in June 2009, the American Medical Association stated, 'Tasers, when used appropriately, can save lives during interventions that would have otherwise involved the use of deadly force.'
The New South Wales Assistant Commissioner, Alan Clarke has also stated that Tasers had been helpful as a suicide intervention tool, in situations where a person was threatening to hurt themselves.
A similar observation has been made by Queensland Police Union president, Ian Leavers, who has stated that Tasers have prevented people being shot with guns.
Leavers stated, 'I'm aware of many circumstances involving mental health and other offenders where had police not have had the use of a Taser they would have used a fire arm and there very well may have been a death...They are a very positive thing.'
In September 2009, the United States Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) reported on its survey comparing fatality and injury rates showed by police jurisdictions using conducted energy devices and police jurisdictions where these devices are not deployed.
The study found '...the odds of a suspect being injured are reduced by more than 40 per cent in CED agencies compared to non-CED agencies...All in all, we found consistently strong effects for CEDs in increasing the safety of officers and suspects. Not only are CED sites associated with greater levels of safety compared to a matched group of non-CED sites, but also within CED agencies, in some cases the actual use of a CED by an officer is associated with a higher level of safety compared to incidents in which officers used other types of less lethal weapons, such as batons.'
Before Victoria began using Tasers among its Special Operations officers in 2003, it conducted a series of investigations, one of which was undertaken by the Alfred Hospital Biomedical Department.
The Alfred performed an electrical safety analysis of the Advanced Taser M-26 by testing a sample Taser and comparing its theoretical electrical output to two medical devices that are used in hospitals and an electrical fence. The conclusion was that 'from an electrical safety viewpoint the device presents an acceptable risk when used by trained law enforcement officers in accordance with the manufacturer's directions for use'. The report also provides a literature review which concludes that 'although several fatalities have occurred after using the Taser there is no proven connection between the use of Taser and the subsequent death'.
2. Tasers can save the lives of police, prison guards and bystanders
The New South Wales Assistant Commissioner, Alan Clarke, has claimed that Tasers have helped reduce police injuries. He stated that about 22 per cent of all police injuries had been assault-related, but since the Taser's introduction that figure had fallen to 11 per cent.
In September 2009, the United States Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) reported on its survey comparing fatality and injury rates showed by police jurisdictions using conducted energy devices (CEDs) otherwise known as Tasers and police jurisdictions where these devices are not deployed.
The PERF study concluded 'use of CEDs is associated with a 70-percent reduction in the chances of an officer being injured compared to agencies that do not use CEDs.'
It has further been suggested that prison guards be armed with Tasers to help ensure their safety. An editorial published in the Michigan Sentinel Standard on December 17, 2011, stated, '[Tasers] should be useful to prison guards, who despite dealing with murderers and others with violent pasts, are unarmed today... The Department of Corrections spent some $20 million last year on workers' compensation claims. Some of that comes from confrontations with inmates. Reducing injuries to guards, then, could offset the financial cost of buying weapons.'
It has also been claimed that Tasers are less likely to result in harm to innocent bystanders. A police officer firing a gun can result in a stray bullet injuring a member of the public. Guns are more difficult to direct accurately and there is the possibility of ricochets causing death or injury to passers-by. This point has been made by Professor Anthony Paul Butski of Eastern Michigan University who has noted, 'A benefit of Taser use is increased officer and civilian safety. In many cases, crimes are committed in the midst of the general public. This leads to an increased risk of civilian safety in the event that an officer would need to use a firearm to enforce the law.' Not only are accidental shootings less likely to occur with Tasers, it has further been argued that where they do occur, the result is much less likely to be death or serious injury. It has also been noted that pepper spray use carries the risk of the spray drifting onto non-involved civilians and police officers.
It has further been argued that Tasers would allow the police to better protect the public. The United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police Foundation has stated, 'For the ordinary citizen there can be nothing worse than seeing something threatening happening - such as a six-foot, 20 stone man running amok with a machete - which the police are apparently unable to speedily deal with.
And delay is the friend of criminals, who can use the minutes at their disposal to plan their next moves, which may include acquiring another weapon, or a better one.
Even apparently mundane incidents can, of course, suddenly escalate. In domestic arguments, for example, it is not unknown for the emotional temperature to suddenly reach a point where one partner goes for a weapon. Again, the presence of a Taser may dissuade them.'
3. Police are trained in the appropriate use of Tasers
Australian standards of Taser training for law enforcement officers have been judged as being among the most rigorous in the world.
In May 2010 the Western Australian Police conducted a post-implementation review of its Taser use. The review commented positively on the training available to West Australian officers. 'At any one time, approximately 85% of all operational officers are qualified in the carriage and use of Taser, up to and including the rank of the Commissioner.
The training delivered by WA Police is acknowledged by Taser International as being outstanding, exemplary and commendable and above the level of most other law enforcement agencies. The Gray Report also acknowledged WA Police training as exceeding the manufacturer's minimum requirements and includes examples of innovation, development of handling skills, attitude, behaviour and judgement. The Gray Report also found that Western Australia and United Kingdom Police had independently developed officer training to the same level and time frames with similar content and emphasis.'
Following a series of recommendations for improvement, the Queensland Police Service as substantially extended its training program. A subsequent review found 'The implementation of the training recommendations has led to considerable changes in the length and content of the QPS's Taser training courses. In particular, the new 16-hour initial user training course now covers possible medical effects of Taser deployments in some detail and involves a scenario-based learning and assessment session.'
New South Wales police undergo a four-hour tutorial and four hours of practical training, and must pass a written exam with a minimum score of 80 per cent.
In Victoria, the training package includes skills in communication, dealing with vulnerable persons and general operational tactics and safety training.
4. There are safeguards against the misuse of Tasers
Tasers have a variety of inbuilt safeguards which make it possible to determine how they have been used and by whom. A Briefing Note produced by Victorian Acting Police Superintendent, Craig Walsh, stressed the built-in accountability mechanisms associated with the Taser.
Acting Superintendent Walshe stated, 'The Taser has a high level of accountability with an in-built database within each unit independently recording the time, date, duration, temperature and battery status of each firing... In addition to the database each Taser cartridge contains 20 to 30 AFID (Anti-Felon Identification) tags. As the cartridge is discharged it disperses 20-30 of these tags at the scene. These tags are printed with the serial number of the cartridge and can be used to determine the number of cartridges that were fired and who fired them.'
Acting Superintendent Walshe further noted, 'A recent innovation available to Taser is the Taser-Cam. The Taser-Cam replaces the battery pack of the X26 Taser and activates when the safety switch is in the armed position. This then provides a minimum of one hour of video and audio recording showing actual footage wherever the Taser is aimed. The unit has an inbuilt infrared light source for reduced or no light capability...'
There have been a number of reviews of the safety of Tasers as deployed in different Australian jurisdictions. Where these have occurred the safety recommendations have generally been acted upon. For example, after the Taser-related death of a Queensland man in 2009, there was a joint Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) review of the operation of Tasers by law enforcement officers in that state. The review made 27 recommendations as to how the safety of Taser use could be improved.
In a follow-up report delivered to Queensland Parliament, CMC chairman, Martin Moynihan, stated that Queensland Police were to be commended for implementing 24 of the 27 recommendations, including more training for officers and changes to the guidelines. The CMC praised the Queensland Police Service for improving officer usage of Tasers since the 2009 death. The CMC report found Taser use has decreased and there is no evidence of widespread abuse or of 'mission creep', if by this was meant that Queensland Police had begun to use Tasers in less serious situations.
5. The number of deaths attributed to Tasers has been exaggerated
In those cases where someone has died after having been Tasered there is a simplistic tendency to attribute the death to the use of the Taser. Defenders of Tasers claim either that no deaths can be solely attributed to the use of a Taser or that the number of deaths said to have been caused by Tasers has been greatly exaggerated.
George Hateley, a former police officer and director of Breon Defence Systems, the company which imports stun guns into Australia and distributes them to New South Wales Police has stated, 'Historically there hasn't been one bit of evidence to certainly say that Taser was the cause of death. On each and every occasion the Taser was not the cause of death - there were other factors.'
Commenting on the recent death of Brazilian student Roberto Laudisio Curti, Mr Hateley stated, 'If I was a betting person I would say that there would be other contributing factors towards this person's tragic death.'
Amnesty International has documented over 500 deaths that occurred after the use of Tasers. Defenders of the device question whether the Taser was the actual cause of death in those cases, as many of the deaths occurred in people with serious medical conditions and/or severe drug intoxication. Taser International has claimed there is no adequately documented case in which a Taser is the cause of death. The company has warned it will take legal action against coroners who find against Taser without appropriate evidence.