Citation

Edinger J, Boulter S. J. Law Med. 2011; 18(3): 589-593.

Affiliation

Mental Health Law Centre Inc, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Thompson - LBC Information Services)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

21528742

Abstract

The mentally ill are overrepresented in the statistics of individuals killed or injured by police and it is understandable that police would seek a weapon, such as a TASER, that is less lethal than a firearm. However, it appears that use of TASERs is not without risk, especially in certain groups, including the mentally ill. The risk of injury to vulnerable people with a mental illness from TASER weapons must be weighed against the risk that escalation to lethal force may cause if a person with an acute mental illness requires restraint. When police officers are carrying out their duties under mental health legislation it is recommended that TASERs be used only when an individual is imminently likely to sustain or to cause grievous bodily harm. This article recommends changes to the Western Australian Police TASER training programs and proposes mandatory medical assessments after the use of TASER restraint.

Language: en