Taser maker says users should aim away from the chest to prevent “controversy” about whether their stun guns affect the heart

RACHEL YAGER
NEWS REPORTER

Taser International’s new recommendation that Tasers be aimed away from the chest is a good idea because police should be as cautious as possible, said Michael Gamble, Humber police foundations instructor and former Peel Region police officer.
“This is an unusual move by Taser International,” Gamble said. “They’ve always been advocating that the weapon is a very safe weapon.”
Now they are saying that “in fact, they can cut the risks significantly by avoiding the chest area,” he said.
Toronto police implemented the new policy in their training about three weeks ago to reflect the latest information, said Mark Pugash, Toronto Police Service spokesperson.
He said they provided updated guidance to all of their officers who have the device and notified other police forces.
“Our position with Tasers, as indeed with any use of force option, is to act on the best and latest advice to make sure that we use them as safely as they can possibly be used,” he said.
“We are probably among the first, if not the first, to respond,” said Pugash.
Whitney Fleming, 20, first-year police foundations student at Humber Lakeshore, said stun guns are an acceptable use of force when used appropriately, but has mixed feelings about the new policy.
“I understand the motive behind the proposal, but I feel as if it will deter officers from using this alternative as a means of self protection,” said Fleming. “Officers will be forced to aim for much smaller areas of the body and face the possibility of missing and putting themselves in danger.”
Pugash did not comment on whether or not Tasers can cause permanent damage, but he said that they have been used for several years, and in Toronto there has not been a significant injury attributed to the device.
“A lot of the debate on Tasers has been very lazy and very uninformed,” said Pugash.
He said he is not aware of a single death in Canada where the Taser was determined to be the proximate cause of death of the individual by someone who is qualified to make such a judgment.