1.30pm, Friday 5th September 2014
- Inquest process continues into the death of 23 year old Manchester man Jordan Begley, on July 10th last year, following the use of a Taser weapon by a Greater Manchester Police officer
- When is it REALLY appropriate and proportionate to use a Taser on a member of the public?
- Under what circumstances is blasting someone with 50,000 volts ever going to be a 'proportionate response’?
The Independent Police Complaints Commission(IPCC) has described the ongoing investigation and inquest processes that relate to Jordan’s death, and to that of two other men in 2013, as having ’raised further concerns about Taser use, which will be considered fully in the course of those proceedings and will inform our developing thinking in this important area.’ (IPCC review of Taser complaints and incidents 2004-2013:14).
RAPAR’s concerns relate to the general issues surrounding the use of Tasers by police officers up and down the country. A RAPAR spokesperson says:
“Ultimately, the officer who pulls that trigger is individually accountable in law for the amount of force they use. But the question we believe needs answering clearly - for everyone's safety - is:
'When is it REALLY appropriate to use such a potentially lethal weapon on a member of the public? Under what circumstances is blasting someone with 50,000 volts ever going to be a 'proportionate response’?
"That's what needs to be crystal clear and it is what we, at RAPAR, believe everyone who is policed by Taser carrying police officers want - and have a right - to know.”
For more information: Dr. Rhetta Moran 07776264646 / [email protected]
Background notes
Originally introduced in 2003 as an alternative to firearms, the Taser is a weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt the human being’s voluntary control of muscles. This usually causes the person to freeze on the spot or fall immediately.
In 2007, it was authorised for use in a much wider range of situations – where there is a threat of severe violence.
In June 2009, police forces became required to refer all public complaints about the use of Taser to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
Between 2009-2013 there was a 232% increase in Taser use to 10380 recorded uses in 2013. In the same time period, recorded complaints about Taser use have increased by 211%.
Tasers are not a non-lethal option. The police and IPCC refer to them as a less lethal option to reflect their perceived intention that Taser use will not be fatal.
Almost half of all recorded Taser use nationally is accounted for by five police forces, one of which is Greater Manchester Police (GMP) who have recorded 816 Taser uses during 2013. This means that, on average, out of every 100 GMP officers, 11 of them have used Tasers in the last year.