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Home › News and Alerts › Campaigns › Taser › Taser Engagement Strategy

Taser Engagement Strategy

Tasers are an important new tool which have already proven their worth in helping officers defuse dangerous and violent situations without injury to either themselves of the public.

  • The decision to introduce tasers was not taken lightly, however they quickly showed their worth as use of force option in situations where previously we may have had to resort to a firearm, such as people threatening self harm, or harming others.
  • They are a serious use of force option.

- Here we will provide an overview of how the Queensland Police Service will be rolling out tasers across the State, including:

  • what training our officers will receive
  • the policies surrounding taser use and
  • the accountability framework we have put in place to manage taser use.

Rollout of Tasers across the state:

The story so far:

- In January, the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Sport Judy Spence announced that tasers would be rolled out across Queensland.

- It was decided that tasers would be issued to stations, rather than to each officer, so that every shift has access to tasers as required.

- Since that announcement, we have been busy with the preparatory work that needs to happen before tasers are rolled out.

- This includes:

  • arranging secure storage facilities for every station
  • training our trainers–we now have about 200 officers who have been trained as instructors to deliver initial user training across the Service
  • purchasing the initial 1,240 tasers.

The next steps: 2009

- Starting in January 2009–some 5,200 uniform officers will receive training over the year in use of tasers.

- There will be a focus on General Duties, Traffic, State Traffic Task Force, water police, dog squad, Tactical Crime Squad and the Railway Squad in this first group of officers.

- By the end of June 2009, there will be some taser capability within every district.

- Each region has decided its priorities for taser training and location based on a risk assessment including statistics including the number of assaults on police.

The next steps 2010:

- Starting in 2010, police recruits will be trained in the use of tasers as a part of their training at the academy.
- A further 2,600 operational police officers will be trained in taser use. The remainder of police will be trained in 2011.

Training of police officers in taser use:

Training framework

Training officers will receive:

- The specific taser training needs to be seen within the broader training framework all officers undertake.

- All officers receive comprehensive Operational Skills Training, which is updated every year.

- This includes teaching officers how to make a situational threat assessment give proper consideration to the range of use of force options (e.g. tactical communication, oc spray, withdrawal from situation etc)

  • As a part of this training, officers learn that every situation is different, requiring a considered response.

Taser specific training:

- General user training in the QPS is a full eight hours of training in the use of the weapon.

  • this includes theory and policy familiarisation
  • how to use the weapon,
  • scenarios and voluntary exposure
  • officers are also required to complete additional pre-course reading and an online examination.

- Officers need to requalify their training by attending a one day course every year.

Policies on Taser use:

- Tasers can be used in two ways:

  • Probe mode uses wires and a dart to deliver electrical pulses into the body–this generally renders them incapable of moving until the device is de-activated.
    • Unlike other police accoutrements such as the baton, oc spray, and handcuffs, the probe does not rely on pain alone.
    • It can be effective regardless of size, strength and pain threshold of a person.
  • Drive Stun relies on direct contact of the weapon onto the body and causes extreme localised discomfort.
    • It does not immobilise the person and may not be effective on people who are drug or alcohol affected.

- Tasers can assist in reducing incidents involving violent or physically aggressive people.

- The policy says it should not be used:

  • where there is risk of a secondary injury, such as someone falling from a height
  • on people who are passively resisting
  • as a crowd control measure
  • for punitive or coercive reasons
  • to rouse unconscious or intoxicated people/persons.
  • Policy also states it should not be used on the elderly, juveniles or women suspected of being pregnant EXCEPT in extreme circumstances where there is no other reasonable option to avoid risk of injury.

Accountability framework for taser use:

The QPS has set up several layers of accountability in relation to taser use:

- Every time a taser is pointed at someone or activated, the officer involved has to complete a taser usage form and prepare a “Significant Event Message”, which goes to the Senior Executive and Ethical Standards Command.

- Additionally, officers have to fill out the register and sign tasers in and out of the station, so they are locatable at all times.

- The weapon has software which records each activation of the taser (date/time/length) which can be compared against the registers and usage/significant event forms.

- Each cartridge also has individual serial numbers for comparison against deployments.

Overview and Monitoring of taser use:

Every time a taser is used, the circumstances around the use are examined by a review committee, and overseen by the Ethical Standards Command.

If there are concerns about the taser use, there are a range of steps which may be taken internally to address any issue raised.

These may include:

  • additional training for the officer involved
  • managerial guidance
  • disciplinary action.

There is also a robust external oversight mechanism through the Crime and Misconduct Commission.

In cases where it is deemed the taser was used in an inappropriate manner, there is also recourse to the criminal justice system.

Conclusion:

  • We have outlined the training received by Police Officers in taser use, the policies surrounding their use, and the accountability and oversight of their use.
  • The Queensland Police Service will be holding briefings around the State to ensure the community is aware of the taser roll out.
  • We have posted up a number of frequently asked questions which we hope will answer any questions you may have.


 

                    

Last Updated: 17/06/2009