UK civil rights groups question safety of stun guns

Mark Gould London

Civil rights groups and mental health charities are demanding an independent safety evaluation of electric stun weapons before they are used by police forces in the United Kingdom.

The Metropolitan Police and Northamptonshire Constabulary are considering introducing the "taser" stun gun from the United States as an alternative to firearms used against violent suspects. The taser fires barbed darts that deliver a 50000 volt shock to paralyse an assailant temporarily.

Supporters of the stun gun say it would prevent tragic shootings by police such as those that recently resulted in the deaths of Andrew Kearnan, who was wielding a samurai sword, and Derek Bennett, who was carrying a cigarette lighter shaped like a pistol. Both men had a history of psychiatric illness.

The National Schizophrenia Fellowship has called for an urgent meeting with the home secretary, David Blunkett.

"We have also written to Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir John Stevens asking for assurances that the taser will not be deployed until there is adequate research into the effect on people taking psychiatric drugs, who are already at risk of broken or irregular heart rhythms as a result of medication," said a spokesperson.

Most American research says tasers are safe and effective. But in 1992 a pregnant woman spontaneously miscarried when she was "tasered." And Dr E M Koscove, writing in the Annals of Emergency Medicine in December 1985 (14:1205-8), said: "Taser injuries are a new and increasingly frequent emergency medicine problem." He described injuries caused by the barb, ventricular fibrillation, possible interactions with implanted pacemakers, and injuries secondary to falls.

Civil rights group Liberty says the taser will simply add to police weaponry, rather than reduce reliance on firearms.

Inspector Robert Blackburn, from Scotland Yard, said no final decision had been made on the types of weapon to be deployed, but research, which will include the effects of other medication, was being carried out by the police scientific branch.

For more information on how tasers work and what damage they can do, go to www.airtaser. com/Med_Stud/medstud.htm which lists other relevant sites to visit if you want to be better informed on this controversial weapon. You can also cast your vote on whether you think stun guns should be introduced in the UK on our website, www.studentbmj.com



studentBMJ 2001;09:305-356 September ISSN 0966-6494