Gardaí are extending their Taser testing program for six additional months and expanding it to Limerick. The pilot program, initially launched in four Dublin locations in December, has resulted in 15 instances of Taser use. These included three actual discharges, five instances where the device was drawn but not fired, and seven instances where the device was pointed without discharge. No serious injuries were reported, and various outcomes followed, including arrests, detentions under mental health legislation, and hospital visits unrelated to the use of force. All three discharges were sent
Gardaí are to extend testing of Tasers for six months and expand the pilot to Limerick.
A pilot programme for the devices began in four locations across Dublin in December, which has seen them used 15 times.
Gardaí say they have proven to be successful at de-escalating volatile and violent incidents, with a weapon having been produced in six of the 15 incidents.
Of the 15 uses, three involved actual discharges, five saw the device drawn and armed, and seven saw the device’s pointed at someone by gardaí without being discharged.
Gardaí said there were no serious injuries incurred in these 15 incidents.
In seven of these cases, the subject was arrested and subsequently charged.
In one case, the subject fled and was not apprehended, and in three cases the person was detained and assessed in accordance of Section 12 of the Mental Health Act 2001, while one further subject was brought to hospital for an issue gardaí said was not related to the use of force.
All three discharges were referred to the police ombudsman, Fiosrú, as per Garda policy.
Deputy Garda commissioner, security, strategy and governance, Paul Cleary said: “One of the key measures of success during this pilot is to de-escalate and to avoid harm, not the number of times a device is discharged.”
Tasers are in use where gardaí are also equipped with bodycams.
[ Tasers Q&A: Despite death risk, few hard restrictions on use of weapons by gardaí Opens in new window ]
“We will now extend the pilot to Limerick as this will enable us to provide gardaí there with another valuable tool along with their body-cams,” Cleary said.
“It will also help us to capture more data on Taser usage which is required to fully inform the final decision by Garda management on taser deployment more widely across the country.”
All gardaí with Tasers have undergone a comprehensive three-day training course grounded in Irish Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights principles, the Garda said. - PA
Read the full article at The Irish Times →The Irish Independent reports that Gardaí have used tasers 15 times since the pilot program was launched in December.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual statement without opinion, framing, or emphasis that would indicate a political lean. It simply states the number of taser uses since the pilot launch.
Gardaí are extending their Taser testing program for six additional months and expanding it to Limerick. The pilot program, initially launched in four Dublin locations in December, has resulted in 15 instances of Taser use. These included three actual discharges, five instances where the device was drawn but not fired, and seven instances where the device was pointed without discharge. No serious injuries were reported, and various outcomes followed, including arrests, detentions under mental health legislation, and hospital visits unrelated to the use of force. All three discharges were sent
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual data on the usage and outcomes of Tasers by Gardaí without apparent bias. It includes details on the number of uses, types of engagements, and outcomes such as arrests and detentions. The inclusion of quotes from officials and references to policies like the police ombud
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