Page 2037 - Week 06 - Friday, 6 May 2005
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(4) Which community representatives/stakeholders have been consulted in relation to the trial of the Taser X26 and which community representatives/stakeholders will be consulted in the future;
(5) What are the guidelines on the use of the Taser X26;
(6) Will the Minister provide me with a copy of the guidelines;
(7) Are copies of these guidelines available to the public; if not, why not;
(8) What, if any, directions have you given to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) relating to the use of the Taser X26 and the parameters of the trial;
(9) What internal review mechanisms does the AFP have in place in relation to the trial of the Taser X26;
(10) Who will be the final judge on the success or otherwise of the Taser X26 trial;
(11) What are the guidelines relating to the use of pepper spray;
(12) Will the Minister provide me with a copy of the guidelines;
(13) Are copies of these guidelines available to the public; if not, why not;
(14) On how many occasions in the last two years have the AFP used pepper-spray on members of the public;
(15) How many complaints have been made about the use of pepper spray in the last two years;
(16) What are the AFP’s guidelines on the use of force;
(17) Will the Minister provide me with a copy of the guidelines;
(18) Are copies of these guidelines available to the public; if not, why not.
Mr Hargreaves: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) In 2002, a member of the AFP Specialist Response and Security Team (SRS) attended Jane’s 6th Annual Less than Lethal Weapons Conference in the United Kingdom. The purpose of the visit was to determine what less lethal tools were available to police, and which of those tools were appropriate to the AFP’s operational environment. The Taser was identified as one less lethal tool worthy of further investigation.
In July 2003, two SRS members attended the Taser Master Instructors course conducted by Taser International. The purpose of attendance on this course was to further assess the Taser X26 for its suitability for AFP use.
In the period between July 2003 and August 2003, 33 SRS members were directly exposed to the Taser X26 in a practical trial of its suitability and effectiveness. From the tests conducted, a 100% success rate was achieved in relation to the total temporary incapacitation of the member. No member received any injuries as a result of their direct exposure.
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