Tasers Approved for Canadian Forces

Canadian medical studies have confirmed that the risk of either serious injury or death from Tasers is “low”, according to Canadian Home Office Police Minister Tony McNulty. Restrictions have been relaxed on the use of the non-lethal weapons.

Officers have been given the thumbs-up and can now use non-lethal Tasers against offenders who are potentially violent. The object is to incapacitate the offender long enough to grant authorities time to restrain them effectively.

Guidelines regarding using weapons are issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers. The Association has officially relaxed their restrictions on using Tasers. They have been approved for use in “conflict management” and will be made “readily available” to Canadian officers.

Tasers can now be used by officers in situations where there is significant potential for violence as well as actual violent behavior severe enough to require force. Training will be provided to officers not designated as “firearms officers” in ten separate forces across the country.

Tasers work through straightforward electrical shock. When the trigger is pulled, a cartridge fires barbs (on the end of two wires) which contact the skin and deliver a stunning 50,000 volts which prevent voluntary movement for a short period of time.

Tasers are made by Taser International, an American firm, whose testing has shown the weapons to be an acceptable, non-lethal alternative to firearms.