Police already abusing taser regulations

20 February 2013

Media Release:

Police already in breach of taser guidelines

The Police Association call for police to be routinely armed with tasers should be rejected outright by the police hierarchy and politicians.

It is clear that already the police are abusing existing guidelines as the photo below shows. It was taken of a police line-up attending a protest at the Waihopai spybase near Blenheim on Saturday 19th January 2013 and shows at least two of the four police carrying tasers at their hips.

Two breaches of police operating procedures for tasers are evident from the picture, namely the carrying of tasers in a routine situation when there is no obvious need for their use and wearing tasers while policing a demonstration. Police standard operating procedures state –

“The EMI device (taser) is not to be carried by members rostered for duty at demonstrations”

Some police at least are thumbing their nose at existing regulations. The answer is enforcement of regulations rather than relaxation.

John Minto 0220850161

Mike Treen 0295254744