New Stun Gun Rules Unveiled in Canada

Self defense items such as stun guns have recently received publicity in the news about their usage on civilians. Nowadays it’s a common sight to see a law enforcement official walking down the street, with a stun gun attached to their hip; and in most cases we wouldn’t think twice about them.

Unfortunately though, the utilization of a self defense device has recently raised questions. After all, when it comes to these devices it’s very easy to disable an individual, who may otherwise be causing a disturbance. On the other hand, it’s also very easy to stop a person who may not be causing a disturbance, but police want a quick way to control a situation they believe could otherwise escalate out of control.

In Canada, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) has recently unveiled new rules when it comes to the usage of their stun guns. While many may in fact believe rules relating to self defense devices to be a hindrance, they are aimed at increasing the protection of a civilian who may not need to be stunned.

One of the new rules for Canadian police is that they will be limited to the time they can stun an individual. The new policy orders officers to only shock a person no longer than five seconds, and to also avoid multiple deployments. Not only that, but in highly medical situations, an officer will first be required to seek medical assistance before they can utilize their stun gun on a person.

The new rules policy is aimed at reducing stun gun abuse. In many cases it’s not uncommon to hear people express their concern over officers’ rights at using a self defense device that can easily be abused. However, the RMCP rules will need to be more specific with regards to the use of such a device when an officer’s life proves to be in danger.

Of course the main objective of a stun gun is to help protect the lives of innocents, but while these devices have been developed to disable aggressive individuals, the operation of them should not be disregarded, and officers should avoid harming a person that could prove life threatening.