Crowd control
Doorstop interview, ACT Legislative Assembly
ACT Chief Police Officer Audrey Fagan
23 September 2005
Audrey Fagan: The Taser TX26 trial commenced in December last year. It will run for 12 months. The trial obviously is in an evaluation phase, and we will fully report then so it would be premature at this point. I'm satisfied with the way it's worked, and bear in mind that its limited circulation is to the Specialist Response and Security team, which is common to all State and Territory forces.
Journalist: Has it actually been used yet?
Audrey Fagan: They are issues I would not wish to comment about; we will actually evaluate that in the 12 months. That's something that I'll not comment about at this point.
Journalist: Will that be made public at some stage, whether or not it's used?
Audrey Fagan: Well, any use of any of our use of force options, whether it be a Taser or the Oleoresin Capsicum Spray, OC Spray, is reported through our governance committees and examined, and you'll see that in the annual reports, in fact (you'll see it) in what we've tabled to the committee today.
Journalist: Can you just explain how the Taser works?
Audrey Fagan: The Taser is quite specific as far as it being an immobiliser with a very short effect, once the probes hit a person's body.
Journalist: So it's a bit like an electric shock?
Audrey Fagan: Yes, a stun.
Journalist: With the trial being extended over the New Year period, is there any concern about using a Taser when someone's basically drunk on New Year's Eve?
Audrey Fagan: The Taser is actually very safe when it's deployed and a number of studies have shown that so, and that will all form part of an evaluation process. Recovery is quite quick; remember this is about effecting an arrest where there is danger either to the person or police officers and it's police officers exercising their lawful duties.
Journalist: When would a Taser or a capsicum spray be used? Is it something like a distance or is there sort of difference between why you would use one over the other?
Audrey Fagan: There are various methodologies. We always start with talking to people and we very much prefer that compliance when an officer's seeking to arrest someone - by asking: that is the preferred method clearly. All officers are trained annually in the various options and it's their judgement and call about what is the appropriate deployment. Bear in mind that the Taser is limited to only the Specialist Response and Security Team.
Journalist: Given that the trial of the Tasers is going to be extended over the New Year period, could there be any suggestion that the police would prefer to use the Taser rather than capsicum spray at that time to be able to help evaluate its use?
Audrey Fagan: Look, the operational judgements are taken case by case and I'd reject that suggestion. The use of force continuum is quite clear. The Commissioner's Orders are quite clear on this and our officers are well trained in how to and when to appropriately use any part of the use of force options that they have for police powers.
Reporter: And spray and Taser: have they got different circumstances where they can be used?
Audrey Fagan: I think it's really important to remember that it's a very limited number of police who have Tasers in the first place and our basic tenet for policing is to talk to people and that's what we'd prefer -- with anybody whom we're seeking to arrest or to speak with -- that they'd actually return that favour.
Reporter: Given we are in the ACT, does ACT Policing see its role as slightly different because we do have significant government buildings and so forth that might need, in terms of the points made by MLA Deb Foskey about being a security conscious environment, police using capsicum spray or Tasers in large crowds in certain demonstrations because of that heightened fear or that tension at the moment?
Audrey Fagan: We're about policing the community of Canberra as per our direction from the ACT Government and being accountable to this community, and indeed our Minister, for how we do that. We're professional, we work to our values and we have a range of options available to us. That is very important in the way that we respond and keep this city safe for all residents of Canberra.
Ends//