beans_mom
09-20-2003, 02:41 AM
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Stun guns coming to jail staff arsenal
Neutralizing weapons spark controversy over potential use
By PABLO FERNANDEZ, CALGARY SUN
Corrections officers will now have stun guns in their arsenal when dealing with confrontations in provincial jails.
"Taser guns may improve the health and safety of our staff, and we're for anything that improves the health and safety for correctional officers," said Alberta Union of Provincial Employees president Dan MacLennan.
"In situations where people's lives are in danger I believe Tasers can help."
Just having them and not necessarily employing them in a wide capacity may be enough of a deterrent, he said.
But what kind of Taser, who will use them, and when they will be introduced still remains to be determined, say sources.
Correctional officers hope all officers will be trained to use the stun guns, but say they must be available to tactical teams.
The tactical teams receive special training to deal with emergency situations within the confines of provincial institutions.
But the use of Tasers will only help escalate violence, said Alberta Civil Liberties Association President Stephen Jenuth.
In situations where it is not absolutely crucial to achieve an immediate resolution, police and corrections officers will normally try to calm things down through negotiations.
But stun guns make it easy for them to rush into a volatile situation and increase the danger, said Jenuth.
"Nine times out of 10, Tasers will work -- it's that 10th time when people will get hurt," he said.
A stun gun which doesn't subdue a prisoner or fails to work creates a more dangerous assailant who may potentially harm himself, an officer or a hostage.
"If there's a truly dangerous situation, then hostage rescue teams should go in and they should go in fully armed and not with Tasers but with guns," said Jenuth.
Any situation which doesn't require that kind of violence can be solved through negotiations, he added.
Stun guns coming to jail staff arsenal
Neutralizing weapons spark controversy over potential use
By PABLO FERNANDEZ, CALGARY SUN
Corrections officers will now have stun guns in their arsenal when dealing with confrontations in provincial jails.
"Taser guns may improve the health and safety of our staff, and we're for anything that improves the health and safety for correctional officers," said Alberta Union of Provincial Employees president Dan MacLennan.
"In situations where people's lives are in danger I believe Tasers can help."
Just having them and not necessarily employing them in a wide capacity may be enough of a deterrent, he said.
But what kind of Taser, who will use them, and when they will be introduced still remains to be determined, say sources.
Correctional officers hope all officers will be trained to use the stun guns, but say they must be available to tactical teams.
The tactical teams receive special training to deal with emergency situations within the confines of provincial institutions.
But the use of Tasers will only help escalate violence, said Alberta Civil Liberties Association President Stephen Jenuth.
In situations where it is not absolutely crucial to achieve an immediate resolution, police and corrections officers will normally try to calm things down through negotiations.
But stun guns make it easy for them to rush into a volatile situation and increase the danger, said Jenuth.
"Nine times out of 10, Tasers will work -- it's that 10th time when people will get hurt," he said.
A stun gun which doesn't subdue a prisoner or fails to work creates a more dangerous assailant who may potentially harm himself, an officer or a hostage.
"If there's a truly dangerous situation, then hostage rescue teams should go in and they should go in fully armed and not with Tasers but with guns," said Jenuth.
Any situation which doesn't require that kind of violence can be solved through negotiations, he added.