Winnipeg Free Press

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Vanity stools counter stools bar stools 200 Princess Street 667 0000 Over 1000 stools in Stock 191 Marion St. 233 0697 year end clearance 10 50% off All carpet Vinyl Wood Ceramic & laminate floors wow. . Com by Ian Hitchen b Randon police pulled out a Taser weapon at a House party and zapped people who wanted to feel the Jolt officials have been told. The stun gun was reportedly brought by an on duty officer to the party where civilians were socializing with off duty officers. Some part goers asked to be tapered and allegedly they were. The report of recreational tapering has prompted a High level performance management review that involves As Many As four officers. Police Are investigating an allegation that a Taser was used in an unauthorized manner Brandon police service sgt. Rick Semler said. Its alleged that the Taser was used in an unauthorized demonstration at a social gathering. Brandon police usually dont discuss internal matters publicly but Semler said the Force is making a Public statement partly because tasers Are under scrutiny following the deaths of men who were shocked by police in other Canadian cities. Shortly after those National incidents in october including an airline passenger who died after he was tapered in the Vancouver Airport Brandon police promised they would investigate any local allegations of Taser misuse. The police service is standing by this Semler said. We believe the Public needs to know that such commitments Are taken very seriously. The incident reportedly happened in late october at a Brandon Home where on duty and off duty police were present Semler said. Curious civilian a source said the Taser was used on at least one officer and at least one willing curious civilian. There was no account of which part of their bodies was hit. Semler give further details of the Taser incident such As How Many people were shocked or whether there were alcoholic beverages at the party. Brandon police association president Kevin Loewen said hers aware of the police review but did not have details. Officers Are divided in their opinions about the alleged incident. Some dont think its a big Deal. Others Are concerned that it shows Taser guns Are being used too lightly. Members of the Media including free press police reporter Bruce Owen were tapered As part of an organized demonstration when Manitoba police forces introduced the stun guns in 2006. Despite the differing opinions Semler said Brandon police take the alleged party incident seriously. We have to be professional he said. We will investigate any allegation of unauthorized or misuse of a Taser and thatus what were doing. He specify How Long the review will take but said any wrongdoing could result in discipline ranging from remedial training to suspension or dismissal. Brandon Sun by Mary Agnes Welch the City councillor in charge of Public safety says Winnipeg police will study new ramp restrictions on the use of tasers. Coun. Gord Steeves who chairs the Community services committee says police Are reporting Back to Council Early next year on their use of tasers. I expect compare us to other police forces including the ramp to see if were different and if so Why said Steeves. The ramp said Friday it is restricting the use of tasers to situations where a suspect is combative or is being actively resistant. The move comes just Days after a critical report said the National police Force was firing the stun guns too often. That report was prompted by the juror surrounding the Case of polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski who died oct. 14 after he was repeatedly tapered and pinned to the floor by ramp officers at Vancouver International Airport. A spokesman for Justice minister Dave Chomiak said Taser use is an operational matter and up to each police department and the province interfere. Winnipeg police said they stay abreast of All incidents and policy changes related to tasers but say whether the Force would alter its use of the stun guns to Mirror the rom pcs. I cant speculate about what we May or May not do said police spokesman const. Jason Michalyshin. Its also not Clear whether Winnipeg police already restrict the use of tasers to suspects who Are combative or actively resistant to police. Michalyshin said discussing when Winnipeg police Are allowed to use the stun guns would reveal operational details police like to keep confidential. Winnipeg police have been armed with tasers for a Little Over a year. With files from the Canadian press. Mary. Agnes. Welch free press. My. Ca by Stephen Thorne Ottawa the ramp says it will restrict its use of tasers after a report criticized the National police Force for firing the stun guns too often but the reports author says the new policy represents Little change at All. The mounties say they will More clearly define use of Force terminology and limit Taser use to situations where a subject is displaying combative Behaviours or is being actively resistant. Ramp Bosses issued an operational bulletin outlining what they trumpeted As policy changes. They plan to include them in future Taser training. But a spokesman for the reports author says the measures Are no different than what have always guided ramp Taser use and will do Little to curb what the report described As usage creep. We Are less than Happy with the new policy because they dont Deal with the fact that we wanted to classify it As an Impact weapon for combative situations said Nelson Kalil spokesman for the ramp commission of complaints. Its encouraging that they recognize that its inappropriate to use in passive resistance thatus one step. But the matter of where it is on the Force continuum. We dont think they go far enough. Were disappointed with the measures because they dont follow our recommendations. Ramp commissioner William Elliott told a news conference Friday the changes More clearly define the use of Force terminology and make it clearer that in certain instances including i would say instances where the Taser has been used in the past its not appropriate to use. The ramp watchdog recommended the mounties drastically curb their increasing Reliance on electronic stun guns. Paul Ken Nedys 53 Page report said the 50,000 Volt tasers should Only be used when suspects Are combative or pose a risk of death or grievous bodily harm. The ramp recognizes the need to take action on the issues raised in the report and is committed to making immediate improvements in a number of areas Elliott said in a statement. But police definitions of the Behaviours cited in the policy announced Friday suggest Little change from those Kennedy cited As problematic. Combative behaviour is when a person threatens Force by punching kicking clenching fists or otherwise intends to Hurt or resist arrest or verbally or physically threatens assault. A person who physically attacks an officer or tries by other Means to injure them is considered combative. Resistant behaviour is when for example a person pulls away pushes away or runs away. A person who continues to drive away or drives evasively after an officer has activated the police vehicles emergency equipment is displaying resistant behaviour. Tom Engel an Edmonton lawyer who represents Taser victims says the policy represents no significant change. Active resistance can be As Little As a suspect pulling Back their hand when a police officer reaches for it he said. The ramp have decided to do absolutely nothing said Engel chairman of the policing committee for the criminal trial lawyers association of Alberta. The Canadian press an ramp superintendent has apologized to a b. C. Senior tapered last month after double parking in downtown Kelowna. However supt. William Mckinnon said his Issue was not that the officer fired his Taser but with the fact he used it while the victim was in his car. John Peters 68, a stroke victim told the Media last month he was shocked twice with the weapon after two mounties confronted him while he was briefly stopped on a downtown Street. Peters Mckinnon said failed to co operate with police and exhibited combative behaviour. However he said the officer erred when he fired the weapon while Peters was still in the car. Can West news service ramp to Issue directive restricting use of stun guns City police wont commit to policy change Toby Talbot / the associated press mounties apologize for zapping senior police Taser allegedly used for party fun Boris Minkevich / Winnipeg free press archives Gord Steeves report in new year ;