Page 2038 - Week 06 - Friday, 6 May 2005
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During the assessment period, every Australian policing jurisdiction was consulted in relation to their operational experiences with the Taser. At the time of consultation, every policing jurisdiction except Victoria and Tasmania were using the Taser. These two jurisdictions have since adopted the use of the Taser.
The assessment period culminated in the preparation of a proposal document which was formally submitted to the AFP Operational Safety Committee. This submission involved the delivery of a package that outlined methods of use, training requirements, cost, sustainability of the Taser X26 as a permanent use of force option, occupational health and safety issues, operational outcomes experienced in the United States and Australia, medical and technical data, media strategy, and AFP Governance strategies that were outlined in the proposed amendments to Commissioners Order 3. The delivery of this information culminated in the live demonstration of the use of the Taser X26 on a member of the SRS Tactical Response Team.
(2) 1 December 2004 to 1 December 2005. The trial may be extended if further data is required. Any extension will need to be endorsed by the Operational Safety Committee.
(3) Yes.
The trial seeks to assess the suitability of the Taser X26 within the AFP Use of Force framework across a number of operational variables. These variables include:
Incident type; age of the suspect; height of the suspect; weight of the suspect; the existence of drugs or alcohol; the range at which the Taser X26 was fired; the cycle time and number of exposures required; the effect of the suspects clothing; whether any other use of force options were used during the incident such as Oleoresin Capsicum spray (OC) or a baton; whether the offender was armed; any injuries sustained to the police officer and the suspect; whether medical treatment was required; the effectiveness of the probes; the location at which the probes made connection with the suspects body; and the type of application applied either as touch stun or probes.
All of these variables will be recorded after every incident with a view to establishing its suitability within the AFP’s operational policing environment. Each incident will be individually assessed against the current AFP use of force framework. A leading question, particularly as it relates to the injuries sustained to police officers and the suspect, will be to determine whether the Taser X26 has contributed to the resolution of an incident with the minimum amount of force reasonable.
It should be noted that the Taser X26 is an additional use of force option that is not designed, or intended, to replace those other options which currently exist. The Taser X26 offers to compliment those less than lethal use of force options which currently exist.
(4) Former Police Minister Bill Wood, Federal Minister for Justice and Customs Chris Ellison, ACT Ambulance, Calvary Hospital, Commonwealth Ombudsman, and I have been consulted.
The trial has commenced and the results will be reported back to the AFP Operational Safety Committee at its conclusion.
The AFP has adopted an open and informative approach through the media in relation to the introduction of the Taser X26 trail. This approach will be maintained into the future.
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