Editorials (20 June 2008) - updated

Montreal: The Gazette - Guidelines for Tasers must be clear - and followed

...the RCMP should make no mistake: They are on a short leash with tasers. An all-party Commons public-safety committee has called for the RCMP to scale back their use of the devices sharply by year's end. Any more of the same indiscriminate, careless use of these machines will have to lead to a moratorium. ... [LINK]


Halifax: The Chronicle Herald - Drawing the line on Taser use

The Mounties have been officially warned: Stop inappropriate use of tasers by mid-December or the stun guns will be put off-limits to RCMP officers altogether. That ultimatum – which we endorse, although we think the moratorium should start now and only be lifted once proper training and usage rules have been firmly established – came unanimously from the all-party Commons committee on public safety this week. ... [LINK]


The Kingston Whig-Standard - RCMP should power down Taser use

The RCMP got zapped Wednesday by its complaints commissioner, who issued a damning report on Taser use by Canada's national police force. Commission chairman Paul Kennedy stopped just short of calling for a moratorium on the use of the stun guns. But he was highly critical of officers' over-use of the weapons, poor reporting of incidents and the lack of followup medical treatment for victims. ... [LINK]


Victoria Times Colonist - Poor response to Taser report

The latest recommendations for Taser use make perfect sense. But based on the response of RCMP and other police forces to similar recommendations in the past, they will almost certainly be ignored. RCMP complaints commissioner Paul Kennedy rejected calls for a moratorium on Taser use. But he called for the RCMP to treat the weapon much more seriously in light of its potential deadliness. The only thing shocking about his 12 recommendations is the fact that they are necessary. ... [LINK]