Should police get tasers?
The tasers will be given an operational trial in the Morwell and Bendigo police regions from July. They are already being used by some AFP officers and special operations forces in Victoria Police, but without cameras. Police Association assistant secretary Insp Bruce McKenzie said the cameras were an important part of the taser trial. He said officers would not worry about the vision potentially being used against them in court cases. “Our members are used to being accountable for everything they see and do,” he said. “It’s possible that the OPI, the coroner, the ethical standards division would all use the film that’s captured.” Breon Enterprises director George Hateley, a former policeman, defended the safety of tasers and said they were a useful non-lethal weapon. But human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have led a campaign highlighting worries about the use of tasers by law enforcement agencies. Mr Hateley said he agreed safe use and training were important parts
