Page 3387 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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As a consequence of this assessment, the AFP subsequently deployed tasers, also referred to as conducted energy weapons. This deployment was to the tactical policing arm in ACT Policing—its specialist response and security team, or SRS. This was followed a short time later by deployments of taser units to other AFP tactical teams operating at a national level. At the time, it was deemed appropriate to limit the use of tasers in the AFP to tactical teams.
In October last year the AFP commenced a review into the potential expansion of the use of tasers to front-line or general duties police in the ACT. A major reason for the review was an increasing number of front-line incidents where ACT police were required to use force to resolve situations. As agreed with me, a formal review was undertaken by the AFP Operational Safety Committee, the AFP body which considers changes in policies relating to the use of force by AFP members. The review considered a number of factors including: the risks associated with the use of tasers; community perceptions, including the current social environment; the operational safety of officers, particularly those working on the front line; and two incidents occurring during the course of the review involving a discharge of a firearm by ACT police officers in operational circumstances.
The AFP review was completed in February this year and resulted in a recommendation to the AFP Commissioner, Tony Negus, to expand the taser model in the ACT Policing environment to include the issue of taser units to front-line sergeants for operational purposes. The AFP Commissioner accepted and endorsed this recommendation.
The expanded model will involve the rollout of an additional 15 taser units to trained front-line or general duties sergeants. In practical terms, this equals three taser units for each operational police station. These will be drawn from the armoury by on-duty patrol sergeants at the commencement of their shift and returned to the armoury at the conclusion of their shift. With the 46 tasers currently on issue to the SRS, this brings the total number of taser units in use in ACT Policing to 61.
Since February this year ACT Policing has been undertaking consultation and designing a formal implementation strategy for the expanded taser model, which includes establishing robust governance processes, accountability processes and appropriate training and procurement activities. The training package is designed to incorporate national and international best practice. Importantly, ACT Policing has established a high-level review committee, which will examine the circumstances of each taser use in the ACT, including occasions where a taser is drawn but not fired. This review committee will ensure appropriate accountability is applied to each individual taser use as well as to provide for the monitoring of usage trends.
I should note that paragraph (2)(c) of the Assembly resolution requires that any expansion in the use of tasers shall only occur on the grounds of improved public and/or police safety and be supported by evidence. As part of the AFP’s comprehensive review, it has collated statistics which have been provided to me. On the basis of these statistics, I am satisfied that there is more than sufficient evidence to justify this operational policy change.
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