Tazer Debate

There was a debate this morning on National Radio, and boy was it crazy.

Marie Dyhrberg from the Anti-Taser group made some really, crazy statements, and Greg O’Connor from the Police Association wasn’t backwards in giving his complete opinion of Marie and her ideas.

• Greg pointed out quite strongly that the “Campaign Against the Taser” group was not interested (by virtue of their name) in consultation, just opposing the taser.
• Marie suggested that, instead of shooting someone the police call in mental health experts to “talk someone down”. One wonders when this would occur, as in some instances an offender will attack without any warning to gain the element of surprise. One second there is no situation, the next you have an officer with a hammer in his head.
• Greg pointed out just how silly that is in a routine call out – you can’t call in mental health every time you are about to approach an offender.
• Marie stated that if there were less than 2 seconds for a Policeman to act, then that “raises issues to be investigated as to what went on so that somebody is in a position of having of having less than 2 seconds” Um, some crazy offender just turned around and aimed his hammer at the head of a policeman? Is that so hard to understand?
• She rabbited on about guidelines being rammed through. Considering that Tasers are not currently issued to police, and no guidelines have been drawn up, this is mental institution territory. As Greg pointed out, strong guidelines were in place for the trial in the 3 districts they were used.
• She got lost during the above, and started talking about how credible their group was, which prompted Greg O’Connor to retort that they were just a group of “safe white liberals”.
• Kathryn was surprised that Greg could not say whether whether or not the taser would have made a difference. Somehow, the Police are supposed to predict in advance every reaction in every different situation!
• Greg also was quite strong in pointing out the anti-taser’s tactics, of trying to make sure every possible group is consulted before a decision is made. This of course would delay any decision for decades.
• Marie ended by claiming that the fact the Police were not consulting with her preferred list of groups meant that they were hiding their “real” agenda. “What are you hiding?”

I would like to think the anti-taser group had some valid points, but after hearing all that I can only conclude they are completely out of touch with the reality of what they are commenting on – police work.