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Police union to strike over use of Tasers
Police union SLFP has issued an intention to strike over a proposal to issue local police forces with electric shock weapons, commonly known as Tasers. The union claims the use of such weapons is not covered by any legislation in Belgium.
The federal home affairs office plans to issue Tasers to a limited number of police zones in Belgium in a test project, before being rolled out nationally, minister Jan Jambon announced recently. Tasers allow an officer to deliver an electric shock intended to disable someone resisting arrest. However, use of the weapons has led to fatalities.
“Since there is no legal framework, the individual officer alone is responsible,” an SLFP spokesperson said. According to the procedure proposed by Jambon’s ministry, three officers at the scene have to agree that the weapon should be deployed. “But there are never three of our people at the scene in practice,” the union said.
With the issue of the strike notice, Jambon is now obliged to call a meeting of the consultative committee. The socialist union ACOD, which is also represented on the committee, has already expressed support for SLFP’s position.
Comments
A taser is a weapon of torture. I'm not sure what issues the police have over them, but I have an issue with them using these to make people do as they are told so the cop does not have to break a sweat or waste any time talking people down.
I remember long ago when they were introduced in the UK, sold to the public on the grounds that police would be using these to defend life and limb and to avoid using lethal force.
How long did it take for them to start using them on people to get compliance? About five minutes.
Just as we would be horrified at a civilised police force beating people black and blue with a baton simply to get immediate compliance, we should be horrified at them pulling out these lethal weapons of torture to do the same thing.
Still better than shooting someone with a gun I'd suggest. That said I'm not clear how often that happens in Belgium mind you despite even the officers who help children cross the road wearing side arms. Unlike the police over the pond I think Belgian police don't seem to shoot first and ask later, food on them for opposing this
You would be right that it's better than shooting someone with a gun, which is exactly what they were introduced for. Oh how quickly they became a weapon of torture to get compliance.