Study of the Conductive Energy Weapon - Taser®

Report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security

To view the Report, click here (downloads a PDF).

From the Introduction:

To prevent confidence in the RCMP from eroding further, the Committee considers that the RCMP must react immediately by revising its policy on CEWs to stipulate that use of such weapons can be justified only in situations where a subject is displaying assaultive behaviour or represents a threat of death or grievous bodily harm. This immediate restriction is necessary given the persisting uncertainty about the effects of CEW technology on the health and safety of persons subjected to it, and the scarcity of independent, peer-reviewed research in this regard. The Committee also urges the RCMP to implement preventive methods designed to diminish the use of Taser guns during police interventions, in particular by enhancing accountability at the RCMP and improving officer training on intervention involving persons suffering from various problems, including bipolar disorder, autism and autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia and drug addiction.

Some selected recommendations from the Report:

Recommendation 5
The Committee recommends that the RCMP improve the training of its members on mental health and addiction issues. The RCMP should make sure that the training given to its members reflects the findings of independent research in these areas, particularly in regard to the relationship between mental health disorders, addiction and use of the Taser gun.

Recommendation 6
The Committee recommends that, wherever possible, the RCMP make use of psychiatric support staff to assist them in providing assistance when an intervention is expected to involve a person suffering from mental illness or drug addiction.

Recommendation 7
The Committee recommends that Health Canada, through the Health Human Resource Strategy and the Canadian Mental Health Commission [sic], look into the lack of psychiatric programs and drug addiction programs.

Recommendation 10
The Committee recommends that Statistics Canada’s Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics be given the mandate to create and manage a national database on in-custody deaths, including, at least, the method of restraint used, the authority involved and the context of incidents, such as mental illness or drug use.

Recommendation 11
The Committee recommends that Statistics Canada’s Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics also be given the mandate to create and manage a database on the use of the Taser gun and other restraint methods.