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Preemptive tasering in the UK

I have just seen an episode of BBC’s “Traffic Cops” - shown on the 9th of April 2008 on BBC 1.

I watched a senior policeman authorise TASER carrying firearms officers to TASER a person suspected of an armed robbery while they arrested him without giving the man a warning, and without giving the man a chance to be compliant with the police officers. The man was TASERed. The BBC show reported: “After questioning the alleged armed robber given the shock treatment was eliminated from the Police’s inquiries. ” They’d TASERed without warning an innocent man.
A web search suggests only Northumbria is open about pre-emptive TASER use, stating.

Pre-Planned Operations, including Pre-Emptive Strike Using Taser:

Silver Firearms Commanders can authorise the deployment of Taser as part of any pre-planned operation. Owing to the issues associated with any pre-emptive strike, such operations will only be authorised by ACPO or certain Designated Cadre Silvers, and carried out by Specialist Firearms Officers acting in a Taser only capacity.
source

I feel people ought to be given the chance to comply with the Police before they are TASERed.

I believe there is a need for an informed public debate on the subject of Preemptive tasering

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 10th, 2008 at 12:47 am and is filed under taser. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 Responses to “Preemptive tasering in the UK”

  1. Edmund Broadly Says:
    April 15th, 2008 at 12:45 am

    I couldn’t agree with you more. I watched that episode and thought exactly the same thing. The police are supposed to protect the public, not to become a menace to them!

  2. Chris Ward Says:
    November 24th, 2008 at 10:05 pm

    “I believe there is a need for an informed public debate on the subject of Preemptive tasering”

    Yawn Yawn debate this, debate that!!!! Before long the police will have to get permission to leave a police station to do their work. If a crime is taking place or the police have a posible suspect causing problems then hit first ask questions later. Then and only then will we have a population that will abide by the law and show respect not only to the police but the rest of the population they share this planet with.

  3. Richard Says:
    March 9th, 2010 at 3:20 am

    I have made a FOI request aimed to clarify if those of us who saw this incident on the TV could have complained to the police and expected our complaints to acted on.

    http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/witnesses_permitted_to_make_comp

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