IPCA report on Taser incident backs police officer’s actions

Canterbury Police have welcomed the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) report into a Taser incident in Christchurch.

The report finds that the primary officer involved was justified in using the Taser, and followed correct policy and procedures, during the arrest of a man in Hornby in May 2010.

Canterbury District Commander, Superintendent Gary Knowles, says he is pleased the IPCA investigation has fully supported the actions of the officers.

"The Authority clearly backs the officer's assessment of the situation he faced as potentially volatile and threatening," Superintendent Knowles says.

"The report acknowledges that in the circumstances the officer's actions were entirely appropriate and justified.

Superintendent Knowles says it is also significant that the independent investigation paints a very different picture of the events surrounding the arrest from what was portrayed in some news media.

"We are disappointed at the selective coverage of the incident by some media, which provided a narrow view of what occurred based on a few seconds of video footage at the end of the incident," he says.

"The IPCA findings have however vindicated our actions in this case, despite selective reporting to the contrary."

Superintendent Knowles says members of the public can be confident that Police make use of the Taser only when absolutely necessary.

Since the Taser was rolled out nationally in March 2010, up to June 2012, of the 1532 times it has been presented, it has only been discharged 212 times.

In Canterbury district for the same period, it has been deployed only 18 times out of the 108 in which it has been presented, resulting in just one injury.

"Every decision to use a Taser is taken with careful consideration, and only where other options are considered unlikely to be effective.

"Officers are faced with making split second decisions based on the circumstances they are faced with - and virtually without exception they get it right.

"Communication remains an officer’s most powerful weapon in resolving most situations, but when this is unsuccessful we have a range of graduated options to respond, and officers seek to use the least amount of force possible to end the situation safely."

Introduction of the Taser has given Police an important tactical tool that has proven extremely successful in de-escalating dangerous and potentially life-threatening situations, Superintendent Knowles says.

"It's a vital option that provides the ability to bring down a dangerous or violent attacker without resorting to more extreme force."

He says Police have a robust tactical options training programme for frontline staff, and Taser incidents are routinely reviewed at District and National level to ensure compliance with Policy and best practice.

Issues around the use of Taser are also routinely discussed by the Tactical Options Community Reference Group, made up of representatives from Police, members of public interest groups, lawyers, academics and medical and legal professionals.