Monday, August 26, 2013

Frontline cops to get stun guns: Report

Ontario Community Safety Minister Madeleine Meilleur will crack open the use-of-force toolbox available to frontline police officers Tuesday.

CHCH News reported that Meilleur would urge police chiefs across the province to provide officers with stun guns, such as Tasers, but the government refused to confirm it.

A 2009 Ontario review of stun guns found that most police forces support providing all primary response officers with the weapons in addition to a firearm.

Only officers in supervisory positions and tactical units are currently authorized to carry the weapons.

Meilleur’s announcement follows public concern raised over the death of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim, who was fatally shot aboard a Toronto streetcar in a confrontation with police in July.

A passerby’s video of the incident was posted on YouTube and viewed almost 850,000 times as of Monday.

Dave McFadden, president of the Ontario Police Association (OPA), said he would be at the announcement Tuesday.

“Our main concern is to keep the public safe and our officers safe,” McFadden said.

Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin is investigating the training given to police officers to de-escalate dangerous situations.

 Please share this

No comments:

Post a Comment