KEY POINTS:
A police report on the use of Tasers shows the mere threat of one is sometimes enough to induce people to surrender.
Since the trial of the controversial electric stun gun began last September Tasers have been taken to 85 incidents and fired 13 times.
This forum debate
has now closed. Here is a selection of your views on the topic.
Kc
Criminals need to be treated with hugs and kisses and love not tasers just like Keith Locke wants. Yeah right! All police officers in NZ should have tasers ASAP.
Bex
Keith Locke needs to wake up and think about the victims, Does he except Police to give these criminals a big cuddle in order to stop their violent actions? If the taser puts fear into criminals then I am all for it.
Frank
If the policeman in the Waitara shooting had a taser that young man would be alive today. Let them all carry tasers.
Richard Atkin
I think tasers are one step away from lasers. It's all good.
Caroline
I fully support the police having Tasers, and I'm getting very tired of Keith Locke constantly protesting about them. He doesn't like it when the Tasers are fired, now he doesn't like it when the police even threaten to fire them. I think if he is so prepared to complain about the police having Tasers, he should try riding along with police for a few weeks and see what they have to put up with, and also get a good look at some of the criminals they are trying to protect us from. Perhaps then he wouldn't be quite so ready to protect the criminals over their victims.
Laurie Dent
I am in favour of the continued use of the Taser as a first option.
Duane Donovan
With 8 out of 10 people in the NZ Herald poll supporting equipping Police with tasers, their opponents should finally see most people are interested in protecting the victims of crime rather than criminals. Crime and criminals are becoming more serious and sophisticated and we must give the Police the tools they need to protect us from those who see weakness only as an opportunity.
Bruce
This could be great for crime prevention and public safety if it means officers being able to stop a an out of control violent offender in his tracks with out shooting them. But with the current culture within the NZ police force of using police weapons on women/girls as sexual torture how long before the reports of tasers being used for this purpose come out. It will happen.
Sarah K
We need tougher police on the street and we need these punks to respect authority. Keep the tasers and let's hear no more from the PC brigade about how it "hurts people's feelings and gives them a fright" when these thick, stupid people have broken the law.
Liz
The police should be allowed to use the Taser when needed. I too, am getting sick of MPs who keep saying its dangerous. But I say, if you're gonna run then you deserve whatever comes your way. Criminals have access to guns and all sorts of other weapons to use in their activities against innocent members of the public, yet the police whose job it is to protect the public shouldn't be allowed to use the same, if not better weapons?
Andrew
What kind of a message are we giving to criminals by using stun guns and the like to detain and control? Criminals need to be shown the power of love - not weapons.
Andy Woodhouse
I wish people would stop belly-aching about the taser, if this was the US those people who are now tasered would most likely have been shot.I do not support people who constantly try to prevent the police from being able to do their job. If they can floor a bad guy (or his dog) with an electric shock then good on 'em, go for it! If you're dealing with P heads, they have the strength of 10 men when high...I'd rather they were shot dead but the taser is the humane solution and keeps us all safe(r). I also think prisons are way too comfortable....if you can't do the time....don't do the crime, if you wave a knife at a Cop....look out!
Nick Burtenshaw
Absolutely, it should be a mandatory piece of equipment in every police station in the country.
Peter
I believe the Police should retain the use of the Taser without question and I get very tired of the comments made by a certain Green MP against their use.
Mark Cooper
I think the average criminal would believe they have a far higher chance of the Police actually using a Taser on them rather than a firearm, that is why they are so effective.I am also a lot more comfortable with the Police carrying a Taser rather than firearms, any mistakes are a lot less likely to be fatal.
Wade
Can't think of a better way to stop the criminals who pose a threat to our way of life and society in NZ. Give it to them where it hurts most!In fact maybe Keith Locke should be publicly tasered as well for trying to defend the very criminals who attack and murder innocent people in our society. The police need to have a non-lethal way of taking out these people and the Taser is definitely the answer.
