Taser trial concludes
The operational trial of the Taser concluded at midnight on 31 August.
The device has been withdrawn from service pending a report on its use before any decision is made about the possible addition of the device to Police tactical options.
The report will include findings from the Independent Medical Advisory Group which reviews medical examination reports for Taser discharges.
During the Taser trial, staff in most parts of the country have operated safely without the benefit of the Taser as a tactical option. While the Taser has now been withdrawn from service, other standard tactical options (such as pepper spray, batons and dogs) will continue to be available for use at incidents.
NZ Police is and will continue to be a routinely unarmed service.
Between 1 September last year (when the trial began) and up until 20 July this year, Tasers were discharged 19 times in 111 deployments - including one discharge against an animal.
The trial, involving approximately 300 trained staff, took place in the Waitematā, Auckland City, Counties/Manukau and Wellington districts. Thirty-two Tasers were available to staff across the four districts, including frontline general duties staff and specialist groups.
Frontline officers' trialing the taser say the device was
effective without needing to be discharged; mere presence
was enough to influence the behaviour of the offender.
Superintendent Tony McLeod, National Operations Manager, PNHQ, says districts reported the availability of Tasers led to a feeling of increased confidence to resolve incidents with less chance of injury.
Of the 99 incidents where Taser was presented at a person, the presentation itself, laser painting or arcing was used to resolve the situation on 67 occasions.
“The initial data reviewed seems to support staff experience that, a lot of the time, the presence of the Taser is enough to influence behaviour, without resorting to discharge of the Taser,” says Tony.
In the other 32 incidents where presentation, laser painting or arcing did not resolve the incident, staff have discharged the Taser in 18 incidents.
In the remaining 14 incidents, staff report the situation had de-escalated to the point where Taser was no longer deemed an appropriate option - so other tactics were used, e.g. empty hand or OC Spray. In other situations multiple tactics were used to resolve the incident.
“In all incidents where the Taser has been discharged, there have been no reported injuries to staff,” Tony says.
114 people were involved in the 111 incidents - comprising 110 males and 4 females. The majority of subjects were of European ethnicity (42), followed by Mäori (33) and Pacific Island (31) and were between 20 - 39 years of age. Weapons were present or used in 78 of 111 incidents attended.
