[Micki]

A man in Western Australia was engulfed in flames when police officers fired a Taser stun gun at him.
Police say they used the Taser on Ronald Mitchell, 36, when he ran at them carrying a container of petrol and a cigarette lighter.

They said that Mr Mitchell, who lives in a remote Aboriginal community, had been sniffing petrol. They suggested the cigarette lighter started the fire.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8161026.stm

Pretty much as soon as tasers were introduced to the Aussie police force, news about accidents or mis-use started appearing. Let's see if use of taser become as popular in USSA.

[wisconsin_cur]

Would it have been better if,

a) they shot him
b) they ran away from him
c) they let him continue to run at them with a can of gasoline and a lighter?
d) other (please elaborate)

[spotacus]

I know the police can be arses at times but I find it hard to feel sympathy for this individual.

I blame Darwin not the police.

[SeaGypsy]

I know the police can be arses at times but I find it hard to feel sympathy for this individual.

I blame Darwin not the police.

Darwin? The town or the man?
This happened in remote Western Australia another state from the Northern Territory where Darwin is the capital.
The same kind of stuff is on the edge of happening all the time in every state with a significant indigenous population in Australia. This is a combination of freakish events which are all pretty normal in remote Australia.
Cops routinely pick up drunk aboriginals whilst ignoring white drunks.
It does not have to be on any other criteria than "appeared drunk"; thios guy couid have been doing nothing to provoke arrest but being intoxicated and having some petrol handy, has decided to pick a fight.
Bad move bro.
Of a population of about 200,000 the Northern territory alone recorded over 30,000 "Protective Custody Arrests" last year about 98% indigenous and mostly with no charges being laid. The drunks are held overnight and let go in the morning.
It probably saves a lot of lives; but it is draconian.

[yeahbut]

Would it have been better if,

a) they shot him
b) they ran away from him
c) they let him continue to run at them with a can of gasoline and a lighter?
d) other (please elaborate)

Exactly. While tasers are undoubtedly abused by the police, and used in situations where they don't need to be, they stop people getting killed. There have been a number of high profile fatal shootings of offenders by police in recent years here in NZ which almost certainly could have been avoided if the police had had the taser option. They've got it now, and on balance I'm glad they do.

[Pretorian]

Cops routinely pick up drunk aboriginals whilst ignoring white drunks.

Perhaps, there is a reason for that, don't you think? I mean, aside of good ole racism.

[SeaGypsy]

Cops routinely pick up drunk aboriginals whilst ignoring white drunks.

Perhaps, there is a reason for that, don't you think? I mean, aside of good ole racism.

The statistics say the outback is racist but the statistics also say not enough aboriginals go to jail for their crimes.
Aboriginal imprisonment rates are horrific but so are the crime rates.

[Maddog78]

Lots of controversy about Tasers in Canada right now.
Several high profile deaths including that Polish immigrant at Vancouver airport.

The problem is the cops seem to be whipping them out in many situations where they would just have used a good old fashioned arm lock in the past. Why get sweaty, let's just tase the creep? They even used one on a mouthy senior citizen in a hospital bed!
If they are using them in place of a firearm fine, but if they are using them just for the hell of it, as seems to be the case in more and more situations in Canada, then that is not right.

An investigative board will be releasing it's conclusions soon.
We'll see what happens with Tasers in Canada.

[Maddog78]

New rules for the cops in B.C. as of today.
The Taser manufacturer doesn't like it. No surprise there.


http://news.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/abc/Local/BC/ContentPosting?isfa=1&feedname=CBC_LOCALNEWS&date=true&newsitemid=vancouver-bc-new-taser-rules-adopted

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCAL NEWS New Taser rules for B.C.


The B.C. government will restrict the use of stun guns by police, following the release of a report by the Braidwood Inquiry in Vancouver on Thursday.


23/07/2009 8:56:44 PM






The use of Tasers and other conducted energy weapons in B.C. will now be subject to tight control, according to Solicitor General Kash Heed.
(CBC)


Effective immediately, all police, sheriffs and corrections officers in B.C. have been directed to severely restrict the use of conducted energy weapons, in accordance with recommendations from the inquiry, Solicitor General Kash Heed said.

The B.C. government also will immediately raise the threshold for use of the electric stun guns to match former judge Thomas Braidwood's recommendations.

That means Tasers should only be deployed when all of the following criteria are met:

- The officer is enforcing a federal criminal law.

- The subject is causing bodily harm or will imminently cause bodily harm.

- No lesser-force option has been or will be effective in eliminating the risk of bodily harm.

- De-escalation and/or crisis intervention techniques have not been or will not be effective in eliminating the risk of bodily harm.

- In addition, the government will move to ensure all police using stun guns have access to defibrillators, said Heed.

Conducted energy weapons will now undergo regular testing and police will be required to report all use of the weapons to the province, said the statement.

In addition, B.C. will work with the federal government during contract negotiations to incorporate Braidwood's recommendations into future contracts with the RCMP for policing in the province.

Report based on speculation, says Taser manufacturer

Meanwhile, both the provincial RCMP and the Taser manufacturer issued written statements in response.

Taser International Inc. of Scottsdale Ariz., said it appears that "politics has trumped science."

It said the recommendations in the report are based largely on speculation and ignored key facts.
snip.....................

[BigTex]

It's hard to say what might have prevented this incident.

It may be that the bad guys will just have to stop approaching the police while carrying cans of gasoline. I know, I know, what's the world coming to, but I don't have a better solution than that.

Maybe the bad guys can start carrying DOT approved safety cans.

This is the kind of can I carry, and I have never burst into flames:

[yeahbut]

It's hard to say what might have prevented this incident.

It may be that the bad guys will just have to stop approaching the police while carrying cans of gasoline. I know, I know, what's the world coming to, but I don't have a better solution than that.

Maybe the bad guys can start carrying DOL approved safety cans.

This is the kind of can I carry, and I have never burst into flames:

Yes, it should be always satety first when charging the police with a can of gas

Is this kind of incident referred to as fire retardation?

[Pretorian]

Is this kind of incident referred to as fire retardation?

Fire retardation? There is a 50% chance that IQ of this guy was below 62, in fact more than that since not all of these people are running after police with gasoline. In fact, its just a few points higher than one of an average Orangutan.
Imagine this guy (drunk!) running after you with a can of gasoline and a lighter.

[rangerone314]

The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long?

[Maddog78]

Sounds like another Suicide by Cop.
A fairly common thing I've been told.

[rangerone314]

Sounds like another Suicide by Cop.
A fairly common thing I've been told.

Maybe we should have a Craigslist section matchmaking service pairing up people who want to die, with people who want to kill.

[BigTex]

Sounds like another Suicide by Cop.
A fairly common thing I've been told.

Maybe we should have a Craigslist section matchmaking service pairing up people who want to die, with people who want to kill.

Perhaps it should be called a match lighting service.