ID :
204161
Mon, 08/29/2011 - 13:21
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/204161
The shortlink copeid
British Police to Continue Use of Taser Guns despite Death Cases
TEHRAN (FNA)- Despite the death of three people after British police used Taser guns or pepper spray to arrest protesters, the Association of Chief Police Officers said it will not review use of tasers or pepper spray.
The association, which represents police chiefs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, announced that it will not review Tasers or pepper spray use at this stage and would wait until investigations and inquests had been completed.
The three deaths occurred after arrests in Bolton, Cheshire and Cumbria during which Tasers and spray were used by police.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the issue.
The death of people in Britain due to the extreme techniques used by the British police to arrest suspects has created serious concerns among the public.
Meantime, social activists and campaigners warned about a "disturbing rise" in arrest deaths.
Last week, the first death happened in Cambria, where a body builder, Dale Burns, became the first person in Britain to die after being subdued by a Taser. He was shot three times with a 50,000-volt stun gun.
Last Monday, a 25-year-old amateur rugby enthusiast, Jacob Michael, collapsed and died after he was hit in the face with pepper spray and later subdued by up to 11 officers as he tried to avoid arrest for affray.
On Tuesday, a 53-year-old, named locally as Philip Hulmes, was hit with electric probes from the police weapon after barricading himself in his house.
Home Office figures show that Tasers were deployed 1,279 times over a three-month period between January and March 2010 compared to 594 times between April to June 2009.
Campaign group Inquest said there had already been five deaths in circumstances that involved police use of force excluding firearms this year - compared with four throughout 2010.
"For too long there has been a pattern of cases where inquest juries have found overwhelming evidence of unlawful and excessive use of force or gross neglect yet the police do not seem to have learnt the lessons from these previous deaths," Helen Shaw, a spokeswoman for the organization said.
"Whilst we await the outcome of the inquests and investigations into these recent deaths, it is imperative that the police are reminded that they cannot act with impunity," Helen added.
The association, which represents police chiefs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, announced that it will not review Tasers or pepper spray use at this stage and would wait until investigations and inquests had been completed.
The three deaths occurred after arrests in Bolton, Cheshire and Cumbria during which Tasers and spray were used by police.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating the issue.
The death of people in Britain due to the extreme techniques used by the British police to arrest suspects has created serious concerns among the public.
Meantime, social activists and campaigners warned about a "disturbing rise" in arrest deaths.
Last week, the first death happened in Cambria, where a body builder, Dale Burns, became the first person in Britain to die after being subdued by a Taser. He was shot three times with a 50,000-volt stun gun.
Last Monday, a 25-year-old amateur rugby enthusiast, Jacob Michael, collapsed and died after he was hit in the face with pepper spray and later subdued by up to 11 officers as he tried to avoid arrest for affray.
On Tuesday, a 53-year-old, named locally as Philip Hulmes, was hit with electric probes from the police weapon after barricading himself in his house.
Home Office figures show that Tasers were deployed 1,279 times over a three-month period between January and March 2010 compared to 594 times between April to June 2009.
Campaign group Inquest said there had already been five deaths in circumstances that involved police use of force excluding firearms this year - compared with four throughout 2010.
"For too long there has been a pattern of cases where inquest juries have found overwhelming evidence of unlawful and excessive use of force or gross neglect yet the police do not seem to have learnt the lessons from these previous deaths," Helen Shaw, a spokeswoman for the organization said.
"Whilst we await the outcome of the inquests and investigations into these recent deaths, it is imperative that the police are reminded that they cannot act with impunity," Helen added.
