The case of the above student who robbed a store and then violently resisted arrest was at time of the 000 call described as armed. The coroner's report whilst critical of the officer's behaviour did not actually link the man's death to the use of the tasers. His body was so ravaged by habitual drug use that his violent reaction to the police was probably the last straw.

Could the police have handled the situation better, probably, but I have yet to hear any alternatives from the critics of the police. So here is a challenge, what would have been better'
a) let a suspected armed and violent man loose in the crowd,
b) shoot him,
C) club him senseless with batons.
d) Subdue him with hands only and have the police officers injured or killed.

...I have zero tolerance for drug and alcohol induced ant-social behavior. The problem developing around the use of tasers is of minor importance in its relationship to the “need” of tasers in the first instance; that being the necessity to develop methods that control psychotic behavior as a consequence of intoxication.

...This shallow society fails to recognize the primary need to “hammer” unacceptable behavior at its source, “right there” with the drug and alcohol abusers! I think it’s called personal responsibility!

What an odd state of affairs for a fortunate society. Fancy all those young people or those who are dissatisfied or dispossessed who turn to drugs or alcohol for their jollies. Our society fails to integrate alcohol into its social machinations in a way in which it enriches an experience. Our youngsters drink to get drunk, to lose their self-consciousness. We fail to address the underlying social malaise of our society and choose instead to defend it by tasering the unruly.

Where I live, Woolies has built a massive state-of-the-art liquor dispenser - a bottleshop...and Coles is planning one of equal size in competition. They're the biggest construction projects around at the moment.

Wall to wall adverts aimed at young people to practice moderation in their social drinking are laughable in the face of a society that unceasingly promotes booze consumption as an end in itself, as opposed to it being just one part of a rounded social experience.

Not one mention yet of dogs as a tool of the constabulary? Are we going forward backwardsly?

Those of you who are the most ardent critics of police will be very pleased to hear, the officers concerned are to face charges. What type, I've no idea ?

ARJAY...
Your thoughts that we don't need 'Robo Cops' running around with tasers killing people is most enlightening and laudable. I for one certainly hope we don't come to that. Most coppers 'walking the beat', are normal men and women, with families, mortgages, debts...the sort of thing we all have ? I know your remark was meant figuratively, rather than in a disparaging or deprecatory way ?

TONY LAVIS...
Indeed, handcuffs are a marvellous piece of equipment, provided of course they can be applied without occasioning injury to the offender, during the course of his resistive behaviour ?

Why weren't they applied to this unfortunate Brazilian chap ? I dont know I wasn't there, neither were you.

Handcuffs work fine, once they've been applied - effective application 'during' a violent encounter, is the key ! The subject of numerous discussions amongst law enforcement, and innumerable Court enquiries, for years and years I would think ?

TONY, if you know a better way, perhaps you could share that compelling knowledge, with every police member in the western world !

SAPPER K9...
I couldn't agree with you more, a K9 Unit can often quell all manner of violent and resistive behaviour. Why wasn't it deployed in this particular instance, I don't know ? Perhaps the Unit was deployed on other matters ? Also 'time' can be an issue too.

You seemingly a member/former member of the Corps of Engineers, would understand, to 'raise' a single K9 Unit, costs big bucks, thousands of Dollars in fact. Further, there are many different types of 'trained' dogs, drug interdiction, explosive , attack etc etc.
I know in my time, we never had enough of 'em to go around. A vital resource for sure.

Cheers...Sung Wu

>>Could the police have handled the situation better, probably, but I have yet to hear any alternatives from the critics of the police. So here is a challenge, what would have been better'
a) let a suspected armed and violent man loose in the crowd,
b) shoot him,
C) club him senseless with batons.
d) Subdue him with hands only and have the police officers injured or killed.<<

e) None of the above.

What would have been better is if this occurred in Britain. Most of the police over there are limited to batons and incapacitant sprays and get on just fine without tasers. I suspect the British constabulary would have been more than capable - in a seven against one altercation - of quickly subduing the subject, holding him down and handcuffing him without any officers being injured or killed.

It's a pretty sad indictment on our police force that they couldn't manage this: what sort of weak little girly men are we letting become policemen if one skinny little weed with diminished co-ordination from drug abuse poses a serious threat to life and limb of seven sober opponents attacking en masse?

No need to shoot anyone, tase anyone or beat anybody 'senseless' with batons. Seven unarmed men should have no problem taking down one unarmed man without risking any serious injury unless that one unarmed man is Chuck Norris.

Clearly there is a need for some remedial hand-to-hand combat training in the NSW police force. They might like to start with 'Using superior odds in your favour: three to hold him down and four to lay the boot in' and then move on to 'Handcuffs are your friend: the joys of punching a man who is incapable of punching back'. A bit of old-fashioned police brutality would have left the victim bruised and battered but alive: thanks to the new electric version he wound up dead. Bring back the biff.

Cheers,

Tony