Thursday, 7 February 2008

Anti-Taser Campaigners Grasping At Straws

"It is cynical and opportunistic for anti-Taser lobbyists to spin the tragic death by heart attack of Henry Bailey while being arrested to push their political agenda," Police Association President Greg O'Connor said today.

"Investigations are continuing, but indications so far are that police acted reasonably in the circumstances, and took immediate action when Mr Bailey got into difficulty. Unfortunately, despite those efforts his life was not able to be saved," Mr O'Connor said.

"There is no indication that pepper spray played any causal role in the death. But the anti-Taser lobby knows a decision on Tasers is due soon and are leaping at any opportunity to stir up irrational fears, regardless of the facts."

"The Campaign Against the Taser, Pepper Spray, Baton, Raised Voices and whatever else they now object to, needs to take a reality check. Serious, unprovoked violent crime is increasingly at alarming rates. Police, responding to calls from victims, are facing more and more volatile and dangerous situations every day, and being subjected to record numbers of serious assaults as they step in to try to restore public safety."

"At a time when gang violence and random attacks on innocent members of the public are alarmingly common, it beggars belief that certain commentators continue to spew forth Pavlovian responses about controlling police, instead of controlling crime. The public would be better served by them focusing on addressing our growing, violent gang culture," Mr O'Connor said.

"If Marie Dyhrberg had her way, police would be armed with nothing more than love beads and aroma-therapy candles and be expected to talk people into handcuffing themselves. For the safety of everyone involved - not least the offender - police officers need to be properly equipped so they can resolve threatening situations quickly and effectively," Mr O'Connor said.

ENDS

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