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2012/04: Should general duties police officers throughout Australia be issued with Tasers?
Introduction to the media issue
Video clip at right:A March 20, 2012 Channel 9 News report into the death of Roberto Laudisio Curti, who died after being tasered by police in Sydney If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.
What they said...
'There are serious concerns that Tasers could be more dangerous to vulnerable groups, such as children, older people and those with mental health issues'
Oliver Sprague of Amnesty International
'A benefit of Taser use is increased officer and civilian safety'
Professor Anthony Paul Butski of Eastern Michigan University
The issue at a glance
On March 11, 2012, it was announced that regular duty police officers in Victoria would be issued with Tasers. This follows the completion of a twelve-month trial in Bendigo and Morwell. The deployment is unlikely to be complete before 2015 because of the costs associated with the weapons' purchase and the special police training needed.
On Sunday March 18, 2012, a 21-year-old Brazilian student died after having been tasered by New South Wales police officers. Inquiries are being conducted into the circumstances surrounding the young man's death. This is the most recent of a number of Taser-related deaths that have occurred since the weapon's introduction into the equipment schedule of Australian police and has provoked further debate as to whether the devices are suitable for general issue within the nation's police forces.