Only one Policing Board member attends seminar on Taser gun use
By Connla Young
Only one member of the Policing Board attended a seminar to examine possible use of potentially deadly Taser guns in the North.
Organised by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the seminar attracted delegates from Amnesty International and the Committee on the Administration of Justice. It focused on potential danger posed by Tasers which fire an electrical charge into its victim.
The seminar was called after the PSNI asked the Policing Board to give the green light for the weapon’s use in the North. In March the Policing Board instructed the PSNI to carry out an equality impact assessment into the weapon’s use.
Despite deep concerns about the potential for loss of life and serious injury through use of the weapon, the SDLP’s representative, Alex Attwood, was the only member of the Policing Board to attend the seminar. A member of the board’s support staff also attended.
Paul O’Connor from the Pat Finucane Centre said he was surprised that so few Policing Board members attended.
“Tasers are dangerous and potentially lethal weapons. They would already have been introduced had human rights NGOs and others not raised their concerns earlier this year. Now we have a statutory body providing in-depth consultation and information on this new weapon and only one of those appointed to the Policing Board attended. And he is already on record as being opposed to the weapon. Of the other 19 board members none of the others bothered to attend. Those who support the introduction of Tasers had a duty to come along and listen to the arguments.
“No doubt had there been an invitation on the table for them to travel to New York for a Saint Patrick’s Day bash there would have been a few more of them signing up to attend. If the Policing Board shows as little concern for the effects of Tasers as it did regarding the CS gas and the new plastic bullets then we are in trouble.”
A spokesperson for the Policing Board said:
“The board was represented at the Taser seminar by a member of its team of Human Rights Advisors, and by board member Alex Attwood. The board has not yet taken an official position on the issue of Taser, but the board’s human rights representative will provide a report to the board on the key issues emerging from the seminar so that these may be factored into the board’s future discussions on the issue.”
