The PSNI could start training officers in the use of Taser stun guns in January, the North's Chief Constable confirmed today.
Sir Hugh Orde said he was considering deploying 12 of the less-lethal weapons in a pilot scheme even though all the assessments are not complete.
PSNI Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde
He was accused by the Policing Board in Belfast of ignoring its objections. Chairman Sir Des Rea said: "This Board has not reached a view on the use of Taser. It will do so as and when the Equality Impact Assessment is complete. "Its view is that the decision should be left until that is completed but the chief constable has made his decision in terms of his operational responsibility."
Sir Hugh will make a final decision on December 17th after meeting senior colleagues. The impact assessment won't be complete until March. He said he faced a difficult choice but added that protecting his officers from knife-wielding criminals or disturbed individuals had to be a key consideration.
"I do have sleepless nights about putting an officer in a situation where he could have used a less lethal weapon than a firearm," he said. "I would argue that the deployment of Tasers is without doubt a less lethal option than the deployment of a firearm." He pointed out that there have been 300 cases of Tasers being used in the UK and no deaths.
However, in July 2005, nine days before the shooting of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, a man who slipped into a diabetic coma on a bus in Leeds was shot twice with a Taser after police mistook him for a suicide bomber.
There have been a number of Canadian deaths but Sir Hugh said the rules were radically different here. "It isn't something we take lightly, it is something we all take extremely seriously.
"If by using a Taser we don't have to use a gun I think that is an argument that is extremely persuasive." Police Ombudsman Al Hutchinson will be asked to investigate all cases.
Sinn Fein Board member Martina Anderson said the PSNI had received representations from a range of groups concerned about the impact of Taser. "Many of them are telling you that issuing Tasers is inappropriate, absolutely not acceptable until an equality impact assessment is complete and its conclusions are taken into account," she said.
"You are totally ignoring and you are not listening to the views expressed by those organisations." Sir Hugh responded that it was his operational decision, he had taken legal advice on it, and he would take the blame or credit. UUP member Basil McCrea said: "I do think Sinn Fein need to show their community that being on the Board is of value but they should not misunderstand that they can tell the police what to do on every single issue."
PA