RCMP Watch

A new provincewide policy on the use of Tasers by police will be complete in two weeks, said Public Safety Minister John Foran on Thursday.

But despite the death of a Nova Scotia man Thursday after being Tasered by police Wednesday, Foran said he isn’t imposing a moratorium on the use of Tasers until his new policy is released.

“We still have to protect our officers,” he told reporters Thursday night. “I don’t want a police officer to be another fallen officer … because he did not have a Taser to use.

“I have been there. I have seen what can happen.”

The use of Tasers by police has been under public scrutiny since Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, 40, died after being Tasered by RCMP officers in the Vancouver International Airport.

The latest victim was Tasered by Halifax police after what police are calling a violent struggle with officers while he was being booked at their headquarters.

He died in hospital 30 hours later.

“I know there have been some very unfortunate incidents happen from coast to coast in this country, Nova Scotia and B.C. both,” said Foran. “First and foremost, we must be ever mindful of those families.
“They are suffering right now and my condolences and my heart goes out to them.”

The public safety minister said the review has been underway for some time.

It’s being done by officials from his department and the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police.
Foran had a conference call with New Brunswick police chiefs late Thursday afternoon about the Taser review. But he wouldn’t reveal any details that were discussed, other than to say he got positive feedback from the chiefs.

“All of our forces have their own guidelines right now and they seem very consistent,” said Foran. “But we want to make sure that they are consistent and standardized throughout the province.

“We want to ensure that they have the proper training. We want to ensure that they have the proper guidelines,” he said.

Foran said municipal police forces in New Brunswick have a strict policy on when Tasers may be used.
“Maybe they will become more strict.”

There are 38 Tasers in use by municipal police forces in the province.

An official with the Department of Public Safety said Tasers are used by police in Fredericton, Edmundston, Rothesay and Saint John.

The RCMP also use Tasers and Moncton is policed by the federal force. New Brunswick correctional institutions each have two Tasers, said an official.

“I don’t know if there would be a harm or not,” said Foran, when asked about a two-week moratorium until the new policy is in place.

“But we in our department have chosen to support our police forces.”

The public safety minister was also asked what would happen if the RCMP didn’t agree with the province’s policy.

“That is something we would have to deal with at the time,” he said.