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Polish Man Tasered to Death in Olympic City
This story might be of interest because Vancouver, Canada will host the 2010 Winter Olympics, and its treatment of alien visitors must be fair. Apparently, a Polish immigrant to Canada became frustrated when he couldn't contact the party who was to pick him up at an airport, and began throwing things (no person was put at risk). Police were called and on arrival, they immediately tased him. As he writhed on the ground, they treated same as non-compliance, and tased him again. He experienced cardiac arrest; police provided no assistance, prior to attendance by medical professionals. The man died. Poland has protested his treatment by the Canadians. The police are investigating.Trainers in Taser operation never instruct in use of same as a first-use weapon (they were classified as a Firearm until the gunpowder charge mechanism was replaced). Law Enforcement personnel are counseled - and often subject to Standing Orders - on use of escalating means to the ends of restoring peace, based on what is both reasonable and necessary. The stages go from attempts at verbal compliance, open hand techniques, closed hand (holding limbs of the suspect), hard physical takedowns, use of batons (usually on legs), pepper spray, taser, armed force. Few officers would want that changed. So is somebody responsible for what happened to the man? Don't blame Taser Corp. Don't blame instructors. Don't blame the two cops who clearly did not participate in the decision to tase, and who could not have prevented same. Don't blame the man who videotaped the incident. Don't blame the victim. Blame the two cops who chose to use the Taser as a first-strike weapon, against a man who was in retreat and who had his hands in the air. After only 1 day, over half million have viewed the video on Youtube alone. Unless the Canadians do the right thing, East Europeans could boycott the Olympics. None of us want that. Posted by: McZoid 2007-11-17 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=207701 |