OK, I know it's a bit late. However, my many letters when these were first "mooted" failed to get a reasonable response, I participated in the "public noise making" at the time of the "trial" introduction. And we do have to realise that the decision to issue tasers (stun guns) to the NZ police was made without any public consultation, no submissions being made, just an arrogant decision by the a very strange fellow, Police Commissioner Howard Broad. He held a day long consultation with MPs, and no formal consultation was ever held before the very much fast-tracked decision to introduce the tasers (or these dangerous weapons of torture) was made.

The latest is that they were given to police in Marlborough this week.

Tasers have been used overseas for quite some time now and with the woolly thinking of NZ politicians "NZ doesn't want to miss out" (remember Helen Clark on carbon trading? That's her famous statement) on torturing it's citizens, and just everything else that has been a total disaster somewhere else NZ politicians seem to think it will be good here.

In many overseas countries they justify "tasering" people all the time by calling it "pain compliance" - now if "pain compliance" is not just another way of saying "we will torture you until you comply", then I don't know what is.

What do others think?

I stand by the decision to issue tasers to New Zealand Police, and have made contact by e-mail to the Minister of Police, Hon Judith Collins to express that. I made the comment that tazers should by issued to ALL officers as PPE, under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 it is the right of the employer to issue all employees with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and to take all practical measures to insure the saftey of there employees. The ministers comment in return was that Police are not under an "employer" but a commissioner, which makes it a diffrent story altogether. Alot of people don't think about the officers on the other end of the, and that it is there saftey that they (the tazers) are protecting. If the officer is in danger, I would say that by all means, USE IT. If the offender does not want to be tazered they shouldn't be doing anything that would cause them to be.

Tazers aren't torture, and if you listened a little the streets of South Auckland are so dangerous now guns wouldn't be out of order either.

Yes, your right "hipeter924", I think Brucey may be a Green supporter.

As one of these fabled Green supporters ... I'd just like to put in my two cents that I don't think there's any particular reason why our police officers should not be issued with tasers with which to defend themselves, as long as there are reasonable restrictions on there usage, and that those restrictions are carefully upheld by the NZ police service.

I suppose you folk are all right- the instruments are not intended to kill although that can be a side effect - and our police should have to carry as much ordinance as possible to keep them fit perhaps an assault rifle (just in case) and maybe a couple of grenades as well in case they are confronted by several teenagers all at once- gas masks in case somebody farts and whatever else we can load them up with-Meanwhile we could employ thousands of security guards and other civilian populations to do their real work while they are "out there" just "looking for trouble" (or revenue) with all that luggage
What sort of police would not like to be seen out on patrol (marauding) without a shitload of ordinance- We could really compete with Australia here easily -more weapons and less intelligence sounds like the real answer for NZlands problems with violence the answer is simple?(apparently) -"more violence"- sounds like normal life will become more exciting than watching American television or perhaps we could imitate the middle east bloodbath - kill protesters and call them offenders or kill offenders and call them collateral damage in maintaining the peace- ah those silly greens just don't appreciate the wild west- I think I will get me a shot gun and join the war.

Perhaps minor offenses could be elevated to becoming more serious and we could have another blood bath there if offenders don't want to pay extortion fines?

yep the police gang should have more power than a court of law and be able to provide a death sentence without chasing cars- the only thing wrong with this is all those body organs that could be offered to those who can afford them - it seems a waste to not make revenue out of killing - there is good? money in second hand parts


Who wants to live in a peaceful nation when we could have ourselves a nice little police state fostering violence? (other than the greens) nobody?

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Reactionary much?

Tasers are not deadly weapons. A copper with a bad attitude could kick someone's head in easier than they could taser someone to death. Luckily we don't have too many problems in NZ with police violence. Sometimes a criminal is going to have to be subdued, unfortunate but true, and at least a taser doesn't give you any major lasting damage, unlike a blow to the head with a short stick.

Actually I was sort of hoping somebody would come up with an intelligent solution intended to address the "cause" of the problems rather than simply coming up with suggestions on how to address the problems. each of the methods you mention can kill depending upon a lot of variables such as the offenders general health excessive force is not as uncommon as you seem to think- and it is very unlikely that the police are capable of pre-ascertaining outcomes- I suspect that the police are no different to other members of our population and that their reactions are often influenced by adrenalin- as such restraint would require a great deal of self control or self discipline - Must be hard to achieve individually and even harder when operating as a pack

"Reactionary much?" Only after eating a lot of fruit not sure what to do about that but sometimes we need a good clean out ha ha

I'm not saying that the use of excessive force isn't something that can happen - you're quite right in saying that police are often operating under a great deal of stress in difficult conditions. I'm simply saying that a carrying a taser does not make police officer any more likely to commit such an act, nor does it make such an act any more likely to be deadly.

The causes of the problems are as complex, if not more complex, than the methods by which they can be mitigated. Are you seeking a serious analysis of the causes behind the lawlessness within the population? That is a sociological and psychological debate that can last forever and never be resolved.