“Taser Changes go Ahead”, an article published in the Alberta News in February, indicates that the RCMP is moving forward and will be instituting some previously described changes into its 2011 Police Manual framework. The framework is currently being reviewed and will later be reviewed and approved by the Albertan Solicitor General. The 16 recommendations made by the Braidwood inquiry, including yearly re-trainings, monthly quality and adherence audits, as well as updated procedures based on the minimization of any potentially adverse health effects to the subject, should be reflected in the final version of the manual for 2011. This establishment of the project by the Alberta Solicitor General demonstrates a significant attempt towards improvement over previous perspectives on the dangers of Conductive Energy Weapons, commonly known as Tasers. As a result, it is clear that improvements to the issues of adverse health effects, design flaws within the device itself and police policies must be instituted within the Canadian society.
The issue of Conductive Energy Devices (CED), synonymously known as Conductive Energy Weapons (CEW), has been at the forefront since the introduction of the devices to the Canadian Market in 2001. The device most popularly known as a Taser has been allegedly responsible for numerous deaths caused by excessive use, flaws in the design, and lack of police training. Moreover, since the increased media coverage of the issue by non profit organizations such as Amnesty International, which began in late 2007, and the Canadian Civil Liberities Association in 2010 the use of such weapons has undergone significant change within the implementation of the device by police, codes of conduct governing CED equipp...
... middle of paper ...
... number of Taser reported issues in the past decade.
In conclusion, it is clear that albeit the Taser technology in its infant stage encountered many problems the fact that such a technology has not been taken off the market stands as a testament to its utility to law enforcement agencies worldwide. Furthermore, albeit the problem is complicated, time sensitive and requires significant mobilization of state resources and public participation as well as deaths of innocent civilians the issue is resolvable. As occurred in the past history of Taser failures the technology can and will be revamped whilst the society must catch up to fully optimize its utilization of the technology to achieve its goal. In the case of Tasers it is to provide a non lethal alternative to apprehend suspects, saving lives every step of the way, suspect and innocent alike.
The Bryan v McPherson case is in reference to the use of a Taser gun. Carl Bryan was stopped by Coronado Police Department Officer McPherson for not wearing his seatbelt. Bryan was irate with himself for not putting it back on after being stopped and cited by the California Highway Patrol for speeding just a short time prior to encountering Officer McPherson. Officer McPherson stated that Mr. Bryan was acting irrational, not listening to verbal commands, and exited his vehicle after being told to stay in his vehicle. “Then, without any warning, Officer McPherson shot Bryan with his ModelX26 Taser gun” (Wu, 2010, p. 365). As a result of being shot with a Taser, he fell to the asphalt face first causing severe damage to his teeth and bruising
The organization I have chosen for this essay is CSIS ( Canadian Security Intelligence Service ). CSIS closely resembles The Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) or British Security Intelligence Service. I have chosen this organization because I have great interest in becoming an employee of CSIS in the future. This essay will provide brief history of CSIS, the responsibilities of CSIS for Canada, and the application process for an entry – level position. These will be further discussed in greater detail as the essay goes on.
The use of conducted energy weapons in the police force has become increasingly popular since they were introduced only a short while ago. The TASER is claimed to be the safest and most productive type of less lethal force in use today, with a very quick recovery rate and no-long term side effects. The TASER has quickly taken over the harsh use of pepper spray, the brutal force of the baton and in some cases the firearm. However, the TASER has faced massive amounts of bad press and negative views among members of the public. Electro-muscular disruption has become a very controversial issue among society, some describing it as extremely painful and a form of torture. The true power of the TASER has been witnessed over its short history, causing physical problems, psychological problems and even death. This is becoming more concerning with the TASER becoming the first resort rather than the last resort. With the TASER being carried by an ever-growing population of police officers, alternate forms of less lethal may need to be looked at. This essay will look into the history of the TASER and analyze the pros and cons with the use of the TASER in the police force. This essay will look into a controversial case, where a man died in the Vancouver International Airport from a direct result of multiple TASER shocks by the police. I will also discuss excited delirium and how this mysterious syndrome has created a mass of discussion and disagreements.
Smith, M. R., Petrocelli, M., & Scheer, C. (2007). Excessive force, civil liability, and the taser in
Use of Electronic Control Devices (ECD’s) such as the widely used taser X26 at the discretion of police officers can be a very useful tool in order to temporarily disable and obtain custody of a non-compliant suspect. When used appropriately it can even reduce the risk of a suspect physically harming the officer, himself or others through temporary physical incapacitation. However these devices need not be used unnecessarily, and officers who do employ their use liberally and without just cause should not go without appropriate disciplinary measures proportionate to the magnitude of the situation. I would like to shed light on a few examples of ECD use where officer discretion have come under scrutiny.
“A body-worn camera in public policing is a miniature audio and video recording device which allows recording of officers’ duties and citizen interaction,” notes Thomas K. Bud. Police body-cameras are significantly growing in popularity across Canada. While legislation has not confirmed definite rules regarding the use of body-cameras, local police departments have begun their implementation. Canadian police services involved in these projects include Toronto, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, and Amherstburg Police Services. The results of these projects have revealed mixed thoughts regarding body-camera effectiveness. Is it a good idea for police to wear body-cameras? While the cost of police wearing body cameras seems prohibitive, police wearing
There have been lots of modern technologies introduced in the United States of America to assist law enforcement agencies with crime prevention. But the use of body-worn cameras by police personnel brings about many unanswered questions and debate. Rising questions about the use of body cam are from concern citizens and law enforcement personnel. In this present day America, the use body cameras by all law enforcement personnel and agencies are one of the controversial topics being discussed on a daily base. Body worn cameras were adopted due to the alleged police brutality cases: for instance, the case of Michael Brown, an African-American who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 2014, Eric Garner died as a result of being put in a chokehold by a New York police officer, and John Crawford, shot and killed by a police officer at a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio.
There has been a lot of controversy regarding the use of police departments using tasers. Many people think that tasers are less lethal and safer for police to use on everyone but, throughout this essay there will be many reasons as to why tasers are unsafe and pose a threat to someone on the receiving end. Tasers have been involved with many deaths and other injuries. The main topic that will be discussed in this essay is how sometimes shooting is a taser and just stunning the person is not all that happens. There are much more to stun guns than just 5 seconds of paralysis.
The Canadian Criminal Justice System is, for the most part, reflective of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and various Supreme Court of Canada case-law. Everyone who finds themselves on the opposing end of the Criminal Justice System is entitled to certain protections every step of the way, beginning even before the arrest; laws protect us from unreasonable investigative techniques, guarantee certain rights at point of arrest, and provide us with the right to counsel. The bail court departs from the ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ standard in that the crown only needs to prove on a balance of probabilities (Kellough, 1996, p. 175) in order to take away a person’s freedom. It is for this reason I decided to limit the scope of my observations to the bail court. What I found is a systemic evidence of a two-tier justice system. In this essay, I will outline the roles of the 'regular players' of the bail court and demonstrate how the current bail process essentially transforms the Canadian Criminal Justice System into a two-tier system where the affluent and powerful are able to receive preferential treatment over the poor.
The symbol of the Canadian judicial system is the balanced scales of justice. When a wrongful act is committed, the scales of justice are greatly misplaced and require a solution to counterbalance the crime and restore balance. Additionally, the scales represent the idea that law should be viewed objectively and the determination of innocence should be made without bias. The Canadian criminal justice system encapsulates the idea of the scale of justice, to control crime and impose penalties on those who violate the law. One of the most important aspects of this system is that an individual charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The current system has two prevailing methods involved in the process of dealing with crime: Retributive and restorative justice. This paper will analyze aspects of retributive justice and restorative justice, with reference to their respective philosophies, for the purpose of finding which is more effective at achieving justice and maintaining balance.
Recently in the United States there has been in increase in deaths that have come from police officers using deadly force. The use of force is inevitable as a police officer, many times their own lives or the life’s civilians are at risk when it comes to determine what type of force a officer should use. There are many incidents where police officer have to react in a matter of seconds and has to choose between his own life or that of the individual causing the disturbance. When a Police Officer uses deadly force has caused outraged with the public, stirring up protests and creating a scandal for the police officer and the Police Department. Many do not know when it is right for an officer to use deadly force and what constitutes it, or what happens when the officer does not use the appropriate amount of force that is required to control the situation. There has been many changes in Police Departments around the country to try to reduce the use of deadly force in response to the issues that have occurred because of it.
In every society around the world, the law is affecting everyone since it shapes the behavior and sense of right and wrong for every citizen in society. Laws are meant to control a society’s behavior by outlining the accepted forms of conduct. The law is designed as a neutral aspect existent to solve society’s problems, a system specially designed to provide people with peace and order. The legal system runs more efficiently when people understand the laws they are intended to follow along with their legal rights and responsibilities.
By teaching police officers alternatives to shooting to kill, they experience higher risks with their lives. Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly, said, “It would be "very difficult" to train officers to shoot to wound” (Jacobo, 2016). Police officers are viewed as “predators” and “an occupying army” rather than allies (Valey, 2016). This is a perception that needs to change because it counteracts the mission of police officers
Everyday law enforcement personal have the possibility to face dangerous events in their daily duties. In performing such duties a police officer could come by a seemingly ordinary task, and in a blink of an eye the event can turn threatening and possible deadly. When or if this happens to an officer they won’t have
As technology grows and the ability to record events becomes simpler and more efficient, incidents like police brutality are broadcasted and reported more often than ever before. Harsh beatings, fatal chokings, unjustified and cruel treatment all play a role in the problem of police brutality in America. Police brutality is a serious violation of human rights, and is a growing problem in society due to specific factors and causes. The consequences of the police’s abuse are detrimental to the common order of society, and communities are starting to take action through riots and protests. Police brutality is a threatening issue that can be prevented by breaking racial barriers, and for better discipline and more vigilant surveillance by other members of the police or a community.