Use of Taser Resolves Threatening Incident

New Zealand Police National News Release
12:12pm 22 November 2006
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=2745

The Officer responsible for overseeing the trial of taser weapons in the North Shore/Waitakere/Rodney Police District says that two months on, there is increasing evidence that their use is assisting to resolve incidents where the lives of both police officers and offenders are threatened.

The Districts Operations Manager Inspector Paul Marshall, says Monday's incident in West Auckland was a classic case for which police are fully trained in use of Tasers.

At about 2.10pm on Monday a 44 x year old male called 111, stating that he wanted Police to come to his house in the suburb of Massey because he wanted to slit all their throats. Several Police Officers including a dog unit went to an address in Sunpark Place but the man refused to come out of the house and speak with them.

The offender was agitated and he shouted at police through several open windows. The man threatened the officers with two knives and a hammer during negotiations which proceeded for more than 30 x minutes. Numerous other requests were made to the man to give himself up but these pleas were ignored.

When Police affected entry to the house via the front door the man charged at an officer with a knife in his hand. The taser was deployed and the man was immediately subdued and arrested. The man is presently receiving specialist health care.

"This incident was resolved in a copy book fashion by all the officers involved. There were no shots fired, nobody was injured and property damage was minimal. Without question the use of tasers in incidents such as these is influential in saving the lives of both police and offenders." Inspector Marshall said.

ENDS

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