Police accused of breaching Taser limits

Police have repeatedly breached the operating procedures for the Taser stun gun, opponents of the weapon say.

The Taser is being trialled for a year by 170 officers in the Auckland and Wellington areas as a less-severe alternative for subduing violent offenders.

The use of the weapon is only permissible under certain conditions.

However, lawyer and Campaign Against The Taser spokeswoman Marie Dyhrberg said those conditions had been regularly breached by police and tasers had been carried or drawn inappropriately.

"Tasers are only meant to be used in 'assaultive' situations, yet a man fleeing the scene of a burglary in Waitakere was stopped by police and had a Taser aimed at him," she said.

"Police claimed he was armed but the so-called weapon was a screwdriver, the sort of tool any burglar might have."

In 1993, former Gisborne police sergeant Nigel Hendrikse was in hospital for two months and left partially paralysed after being stabbed by a gang member wielding a screwdriver.

Ms Dyhrberg said two of 16 reported Taser incidents were in service stations, where the weapon was not meant to be used in case its electrical discharge caused a fire.

Two other incidents involved reports of firearms.

"The operating procedures state the Taser should not be normally considered in such situations, with police firearms remaining the most appropriate response."

Ms Dyhrberg said a letter had been sent to Police Minister Annette King outlining the group's concerns.

Police national headquarters did not return calls from the Herald yesterday but media spokesman Jon Neilson said this morning that every time officers drew their new weapons, they had good reason.

"It has all been according to the book. In every case, the person was armed and there has been the threat of violence or aggression," he said.

"You will see that in 16 instances Tasers have been drawn, they have only been fired twice."


Taser rules

Police operating procedures say officers can only use the Taser to:

* Defend themselves or others, if they fear physical injury to themselves or others, or if they cannot reasonably protect themselves or others less forcefully.

* Arrest someone if they believe the offender poses a risk of physical injury to themselves or others, if the arrest cannot be effected less forcefully.

* Resolve an incident where someone might harm themselves, if the incident cannot be resolved less forcefully.

* Prevent the escape of an offender if that person poses a threat of physical injury and the escape cannot be prevented less forcefully.

* Deter attacking animals.