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TechnoratiVICTORIA - B.C. Attorney-General Wally Oppal is prepared to limit or even ban the use of Tasers if a new commission into their use recommends it.
Oppal announced a pair of probes yesterday to look into the controversial weapons, headed by retired judge Thomas Braidwood.
One will look at Taser use by B.C. law enforcement officers, the other at the death of Robert Dziekanski, who died at Vancouver airport last October after being Tasered by the RCMP.
Oppal said it's premature to consider a ban, but if Braidwood recommended it, he would give it thought.
"We would be prepared to look at anything and everything," he said.
"A lot of police forces across North America are having second thoughts about the use of Tasers, given some of the medical opinions out there," he said.
"We want a full and comprehensive opinion as to what our police should be doing in this province."
Oppal said he expects the RCMP to co-operate with the inquiry.
Oppal said the evidence has been building around Taser use in B.C. for some years.
He ruled out a moratorium saying there's evidence in favour of the Taser's continued use.
"The police keep telling us it saves lives," said Oppal. "We want the police to have all the tools at their disposal that they think are useful."
Meanwhile, NDP justice critic Leonard Krog called for a moratorium on the use of the weapons.
"I think the government has to look at a temporary ban," said Krog, citing public safety.
Braidwood will report back by the end of June.
A coroner's inquest into Dziekanski's death is set for May 5 to 16.
jbermingham@png.canwest.com
© 2008 The Province
4 Comments so far
Show AllAn early pre-election trial balloon? The next provincial elections are in 2009. More lies.
Electrocution of someone is simply torture when no person is threatened or in harms way.
Police claim that using Tasers saves lives. The rationale for this statement, I believe, is that if these people were shot, more would die. (Taser does make this claim.) However, that presumes that the public would allow a great increase in shootings by the police. I suspect the evidence says Taser deaths are in addition to a largely unchanged rate of death due to police shootings.
Again, as I've said many times before, the Taser itself is not a bad thing... It's HOW it's being used by the police. Tasering someone who is violent and can not be controlled by conventional means is OK... Using Tasers as a Compliance tool is where the problem lies. Someone who is questioning the police, or refusing to obey orders AND being nonviolent, should not be Tased. What we're seeing time and time again is the police using the taser under circumstances where it is not called for and using it to project power. That is where the problem is.
Also, The inquest into the Robert Dziekanski incident has a very narrow scope. They will NOT be looking into the actions of the RCMP at all. They'll investigate the crap out of Mr. Dziekanski's life, including going to Poland to dig up dirt. They'll also study the Taser itself, but the RCMP actions are off limits. In my opinion, it's the actions of the RCMP that require investigation first and foremost.