Death puts PSNI use of taser guns in doubt

Members of the North’s Policing Board were today divided over whether taser guns should be piloted after the weapon was deployed in a tragic incident.

A man armed with a knife was shot by police with a stun gun in the Goldington area of Bedford in England last night after threatening officers during a domestic dispute.

However, detectives said the man in his 30s retreated back into his house after being shot and later died after he was discovered with a self-inflicted wound.

The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and a postmortem is to be carried out tomorrow to establish the cause of death.

In the North, members of the Policing Board clashed over whether the incident should force Chief Constable Hugh Orde to put on hold trials of the weapon by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson argued: “Obviously we will have to wait and see what the post mortem says and what the IPCC’s decision is.

“However, the fact is people have very real concerns about the deployment of tasers by the PSNI.

“They are not less lethal weapons and we do not know the impact on the physiology or mental state of the people they are used on.

“Hugh Orde should withdraw immediately his plan to test the weapon.”

Earlier this month, the PSNI announced it had bought 12 tasers which will not be used by ordinary beat officers, but armed police in difficult and dangerous situations.

Senior officers have given an undertaking that incidents where the guns are discharged will be referred to the North’s Police Ombudsman to investigate.

Concerns had been expressed by some members of the Policing Board about the weapons, which are also deployed by the Gardaí and forces across the United Kingdom.

However, Ulster Unionist Board member Basil McCrea insisted the Bedfordshire incident illustrated exactly why tasers were needed.

“This incident illustrates the sort of dangers police throughout the UK face on a daily basis,” the Lagan Valley MLA said.

“Officers who deploy them have to decide if the person is behaving in way that would otherwise result in a firearm being discharged.

“Common sense dictates in those sort of situations that tasering is a much more preferable option than guns being fired.

“Police also have to undergo appropriate training and operate within a strong central command structure.”