Taser stun guns success in Queensland
Queensland is claiming success in its police trial of Taser stun guns, but has yet to decide whether to extend their use state-wide.
Police Minister Judy Spence told state parliament the trial of the stun guns - which deliver a painful electrical shock to the body, causing muscle spasms and temporary paralysis - had proved "a great success".
The Taser trial began in Brisbane and the state's greater south-east, including the Gold Coast, on July 1.
"In just over a month the Tasers have been used on 11 occasions without incident," Ms Spence said.
"On each occasion there was no injury to the police officer, no injury to the offender and no medical attention was required."
Ms Spence said the Tasers had also been presented but not discharged on 19 occasions.
"So on 19 occasions, the person of interest surrendered to officers each time without the need for the Taser device to be discharged," she said.
Ms Spence said in one incident at Nobbys Beach on the Gold Coast, police deployed a Taser on a man who allegedly attacked a female constable and tried to grab her gun belt.
Police also used the device on a woman who was allegedly strangling a heavily pregnant woman in Alexandra Hills in Brisbane's eastern suburbs, and on a man who allegedly tried to attack police in Lutwyche, in Brisbane's north.
"They are three good examples of the use of the Taser that I think are quite legitimate," Ms Spence said.
She said the government was still considering whether to extend the use of the devices to police throughout the state.
"It is early days, but it looks like it has a lot of advantages in preventing assaults on police, preventing further assaults on offenders and making sure police can appropriately apprehend offenders," she said.
Previously, the devices had only been used by Special Emergency Response Team officers.
The Queensland Police Union has backed the use of Tasers statewide, but civil libertarians have branded them as a highly dangerous weapon which can potentially kill.
NSW this week gave the go-ahead for Tasers to be used against armed or violent criminals by the state's Public Order and Riot Squad, but they won't be given to general duties officers.
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