A jolt of reality in TASER debate

Citypolice do not need more TASERstyle weapons, or more officers approved to use them.

The argument for conducted energy weapons (CEWs) is that they are less lethal than guns. A jolt of electricity can kill or maim, but not with the same likelihood as a bullet.

Deputy Chief Tim Farquharson made that point discussing a proposal to let police chiefs in every community decide how many officers should be carrying a CEW.

Right now only specialized officers and front line supervisors can be trained on and use them. The Peterborough force has four CEWs, which cost up to $3,000 each.

If the province lifts that restriction all officers on patrol could be carrying one.

Farquharson said costs and who would pay for CEWs is a concern, but described the weapons as a safety tool for officers, the public and suspects.

A review of the force’s “use of force” statistics for the past three years shows that the safety argument is overrated.

CEWs are clearly safer than guns if guns are being fired. But that’s not the case in Peterborough. There is no record of a police officer shooting a suspect — or anyone else — in recent memory.

One city officer was shot two years ago while on a tactical response team assign- ment in Lindsay. A suspect was also shot. That was a planned raid on a suspected drug ring and the officers were carrying high-powered weapons, not CEWs.

In the past three years city police used a CEW an average of six times a year. Last year pepper spray was used four times. No officer had to hit anyone with a baton.

Farquharson said he used a CEW four times during his years as a sergeant, in each case on someone who refused to drop a knife. That would be a fairly typical scenario. Someone is distraught, perhaps drunk or on drugs, or just angry and potentially violent. A standoff occurs and senior officers who have been trained for that kind of situation are called in.

In many cases the CEW is drawn but not fired. In 2011 city officers took out a CEW 17 times and fired one five times.

Police drew a gun 35 times in 2011 and 36 times in 2012. Most of those were in standoff situations where a “use of force” report must be filed whether or not there ended up being a threat that actually required a gun to be drawn.

The only shots police fired were to put down animals.

The bottom line is that in Peterborough the current system works. Continuing to train a small number of senior and specialized officers for CEW use is safe and effective.