Police tight-lipped on Taser rights

NSW Police are refusing to reveal what circumstances Tasers can be used in, saying the release of the information could impact the effectiveness of the weapons.
The NSW Government is preparing to pump more than $10 million into equipping frontline police with Tasers, but public debate is rife after the announcement of an inquiry into the repeated use of a stun gun on a man in Oxford Street in March.
“If Tasers were only to be used as a substitute for firearms, in the same circumstances, they would have a positive effect. But police will not use Tasers where their lives are under threat, they will continue to use firearms, and use Tasers to simply deal with non-compliance,” said Stephen Banks, Secretary of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties.
NSW Premier Nathan Rees maintains that the sight of Tasers, will be enough to stop crime in the majority of situations.
Sydneysiders everywhere are of mixed opinion.
“I reckon it’s a good idea, because Tasers will mean that less people will get shot from real guns,” said Newtown resident Cindy Stuart.
“It’s scary, because first it’s Tasers, then it’s more aggressive use of handheld weapons, then before you know it we’ve turned into America,” said Surry Hills resident Harry Gatti.
Tasers shoot metal probes attached to copper wires and give a five second, 55,000-volt electric shock. All major muscle groups go into spasm, and it’s common for the victim to fall to the ground and involuntarily urinate.
Tasers have a range of 6.4 metres, with the possibility that sloppy shooting could hit bystanders.
A 2005 report by Amnesty International found there were 103 Taser-related deaths in the US and Canada between June 2001 and March 2005.
Taser International Inc maintain that the weapons are not deadly, based on results from trials on animals.