For the first time in Irish policing, uniformed gardaí will be armed with Tasers as part of a six-month pilot project to commence immediately.
One-hundred-and-twenty-eight gardaí in Dublin’s north and south inner city, and in the Waterford-Kilkenny division, have been chosen for the trial.
The Taser – a gun-shaped device carried in a holster – works by firing a probe, attached to a long wire, that breaches the skin of the target. The wire then delivers an electric charge to the suspect’s body for five seconds.
Once the suspect has been shocked with the Taser, they usually collapse to the ground, convulsing. If they somehow withstand the charge, they can be shocked for another five seconds. When overwhelmed, they can be disarmed and restrained, including in handcuffs.
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Body-worn cameras are also being trialled in the selected divisions meaning any incident where the Tasers are used will be recorded – with sound – for review.
The introduction of Tasers for uniformed gardaí is a major development for Irish policing. Heretofore, the unarmed status of frontline uniformed gardaí has been seen as facilitating the close relationship between the Garda and the public, the envy of the international law enforcement community.
[ Uniformed gardaí could be armed with Taser stun guns by ChristmasOpens in new window ]
However, when frontline gardaí are armed with Tasers, it is unclear if the Garda could still lay claim to being a mainly unarmed force. Granted, frontline gardaí will still not carry firearms, but stun guns will be a major upgrade in the nature, and level, of the force they can deploy when required.
That might be seen by Garda members and the public as a subtle change. Or, it could significantly change Irish policing, and the relationship between the Garda and the public. These are among the issues that will be studied closely during the six-month trial period.
Their use will form part of the Garda calls a “graduated policing response”. This means when Garda members encounter a dangerous and violent person, they must first try other methods to gain control before employing the Taser as a last resort.
Other policing methods that must be exhausted first include engaging verbally with the person or perhaps using physical restraint, a baton, pepper spray or handcuffs.
Sources pointed out any Garda member who use the Tasers will be obliged to complete paperwork afterwards that officially records the force they used and the reasons for it. They did not expect Tasers to be discharged very often, and that often the mere act of preparing to use them would prove sufficient.
Tasers are not new to Irish policing, however, as they have been used for years by the Armed Support Unit (ASU) and the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).
The vast majority of people who are Tasered fully recover within minutes. However, some people have died as a result, usually due to underlying health conditions.
There is a whole range of “use of force” options available to Garda members. Detectives and members of the ASU and ERU carry firearms, though they are almost never used. The last fatal shooting by a Garda member was five years ago, with George Nkencho (27) lost his life in Clonee on the Dublin–Meath border.
The ERU and ASU also use “less than lethal weapons” which include Tasers, smoke or stun grenades, beanbag rounds and rubber bullet-type rounds, among others.
