Vancouver (ECN) - In 2000 British Columbia was the first province in Canada to authorize the use of taser guns by the police. On October 14, 2007 Robert Dziekanski died after being tasered 5 times by police at Vancouver's airport. Today 578 taser guns will be removed from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arsenal.
The model M-26 has undergone testing and 80% failed. As a result Solicitor General Rich Coleman has forbidden the use of that the M-26. The taser produced an electrical charge insufficient to incapacitate a person. This may explain why police felt it necessary to taser Mr. Dziekanski so many times while attempting to subdue him. Between 2001 and 2008, 25 people died after Canadian police applied a taser to them. 20% of these deaths involved the RCMP.
The RCMP is not without taser guns to use, however. The X-26 has been the model purchased since 2006. Coleman had these undergo the same testing and found that 98% functioned within specifications.
Coleman's prime concern is the safety of the officers. If the taser is performing below specifications, the officer and the community are large are the ones at risk. Replacement will only happen if the tasers cannot be repaired.
