Shocked and Stunned: A Consideration of the Implications of Tasers in Australia

Abstract

This comment considers the debate surrounding the introduction of the stun-gun or ‘Taser’ into Australian policing and cautions against its introduction as general issue weapons. This caution is set against concerns about the regulation of police use of force generally and in light of critical commentary on sub-lethal weaponry internationally, especially from the United States where Taser use by police is widespread. The paper traces the introduction of Tasers as general issue weapons in Australia and outlines the arguments for and against their introduction. Critical issues addressed include the number of deaths attributed to Taser use in the United States, the problems associated with identifying stun-guns as contributors to death, the capacity of such weapons to reduce the incidence of lethal force in policing and the potential impact of Taser use on over-policed populations.