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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 11:26 pm
Time: 11:26 pm
Results for tasers (western australia)
1 results foundAuthor: Western Australia. Corruption and Crime Commission Title: The Use of Taser Weapons by Western Australia Police Summary: A Taser weapon is a weapon carried by Western Australia Police (WAPOL) officers which uses a high voltage, low power charge of electricity to either induce involuntary muscle contractions that cause temporary incapacitation or to cause pain. Since 2007, WAPOL officers have used the weapon as an alternative use of force to minimise injury to themselves or others when confronted with potentially violent situations. Taser weapon use is governed by a policy which dictates that Taser weapons are not to be used for compliance. The threshold for use stipulates the focus on preventing injury (to both officers, and to the public). The Commission examined Taser weapon use in Western Australia from 2007 to 2009. This examination consisted of an analysis of complaints and matters notified to the Commission, WAPOL data from 2007 to 2009, and a detailed analysis of WAPOL Use of Force reports between July and September 2009. The majority of Taser weapon use by WAPOL officers is appropriate even though the WAPOL policy threshold for Taser weapon use is one of the lowest in Australia. A low threshold means WAPOL officers are authorised to use a Taser weapon in more situations than other police in Australia. Taser weapons have become the force option of “choice” in Western Australia, resulting in significant decreases in the use of OC spray, handcuffs and empty hand techniques. Taser weapon use increased from 49% in 2007 to 74% in 2008 and declined to 65% in 2009. This represents an overall increase in Taser weapon use of 25%. Most Taser weapon use occurred on weekends between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. The most significant trend was the increase of Taser weapon deployment against subjects who were physically resisting arrest, increasing from 22% in 2007 to 43% in 2009. The use of firearms has doubled since the introduction of Taser weapons, from 6% of all uses of force in 2007 to 12% in 2009. Given that Taser weapons were expected to reduce the number of situations where officers were involved in physical altercations, it was expected that injuries would decrease overall. This has not occurred. The number of hospitalisations of WAPOL officers between 2007 and 2009 remained relatively stable at under 2% of incidents. Injuries to officers increased from 9% of all use of force incidents in 2007 to 12% in 2008 and 11% in 2009. Generally speaking the injuries received by police officers were minor, including bruises, abrasions or minor lacerations and muscle sprains. In all cases these injuries resulted from an assault by another person or from struggling with a person. Police officers actually received more injuries in Taser weapon-related incidents than in non-Taser weapon incidents (17% of cases compared to 15% of cases). Taser weapons are an effective force option in situations where there is a real risk of serious injury to an officer or other person, however there is potential for misuse. There is also a real and significant risk that Taser weapons will be subject to mission creep, that is, that a Taser weapon will be used in situations where it was not intended to be used and where such use is potentially excessive or improper. Between July and September 2009, potential misuse was involved in 7% of Taser weapon incidents. Of these, 38% involved using the Taser weapon as a threat. The remaining 62% involved potentially improper or excessive Taser weapon deployment. International and national research shows Taser weapon use can result in death in certain circumstances. Death or serious injury can be caused by the fact that a Taser weapon causes incapacitation (leading to, for example, death by drowning or falling); by the ignition of flammable substances; or as a result of ventricular fibrillation and/or asphyxiation. While no deaths in Western Australia have been directly attributed to Taser weapon use, the risks of injury and death, and of mission creep, are potentially increased when a Taser weapon is used on the young, the elderly, people with an existing health condition, drug users and the mentally ill. Notwithstanding the high percentage of appropriate use, the Commission’s analysis of Taser weapon incidents has led to the identification of misuse of Taser weapons in Western Australia. WAPOL officers are using Taser weapons: (1) for compliance and in other situations in contravention to WAPOL Taser weapon policy, although in most cases this is identified and dealt with appropriately through WAPOL misconduct systems and processes; (2) in situations where such use is potentially improper or excessive, including against people whose level of resistance appears to present only a small chance of harm to officers, and this type of use appears to be increasing; (3) disproportionately against indigenous people, and the proportion of such Taser weapon use is increasing (from 16% of all Taser weapon use in 2007 to 30% in 2009); and (4) against people in high risk groups including individuals with a mental illness, those who are suffering from substance abuse, or those who are otherwise exhibiting signs of extreme psychological distress. In a small proportion of these cases, effective communication and de-escalation techniques are not being utilised prior to the Taser weapon use. [13] The Commission has developed its recommendations after considering current national and international trends and are aimed at: decreasing the misuse of Taser weapons, and the potential for misconduct by WAPOL officers in relation to Taser weapon use; maintaining public confidence in the way WAPOL officers use force to go about their duties; preventing the potentially excessive or improper use of Taser weapons against high risk groups such as indigenous people; people with a mental illness or otherwise suffering from extreme psychological distress; those people with small body mass; and people suffering from serious health conditions; ensuring the continued availability of Taser weapons for the use of WAPOL officers as a means of reducing the likelihood that officers will be killed or seriously injured by the actions of violent and aggressive members of the public; and reducing the likelihood that a fatality will occur in Western Australia as a result of Taser weapon use by a WAPOL officer, and reducing the likelihood that serious injuries will occur as a result of Taser weapon use by a WAPOL officer. Details: Perth: Corruption and Crime Commission, 2010. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2010 at: http://www.ccc.wa.gov.au/Publications/Reports/Published%20Reports%202010/Full%20Report%20-%20Use%20of%20Taser%20Weapons%20by%20WAPOL.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ccc.wa.gov.au/Publications/Reports/Published%20Reports%202010/Full%20Report%20-%20Use%20of%20Taser%20Weapons%20by%20WAPOL.pdf Shelf Number: 120335 Keywords: Police Use of ForceStun GunsTasers (Western Australia) |