Taser testing issue delays death investigation

October 20, 2011
Julie O'Neill, WCPO.com

CINCINNATI - A Channel 9 investigation has found that more than 10 weeks after U.C. Upward Bound student Everette Howard Jr. died after he was tased by police, the Taser X26 used to subdue him has still not been tested for its electrical output.

Howard's family, and their attorney, speaking exclusively with 9 News, say they are outraged to learn of a disturbing gap in the investigation, which is apparently slowing it down, regarding the place... and method of the intended testing.

What police and loved ones of Howard agree on is that his death was both unintentional and tragic and finding out exactly why he died is important to his family, to police, and to anyone who might be hit by a Taser-type weapon in the future.

The weapon made by Taser International is used by authorities across the Tri-State and around the globe as a non-lethal police force option. It fires two probes, which send an electric current into the body to incapacitate a subject.

The Hamilton County Coroner's Office has not yet released a cause of death in the Howard case. 9 News has learned the delay may be because the taser used in the Aug. 6 incident has still not been tested for its electrical output.

Ohio's Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), under Attorney General Mike Dewine, has been charged with finding a lab to test the output. BCI wants to send it to a lab in Canada, but says the process is being stalled by customs issues.

Asked why this weapon needs to be sent outside the country, Attorney General Dewine responded, " The Canadian company has been referred to us by many people and we have checked this out. We believe that they have the expertise to do it."

But 9 News took a closer look at how the Canadian lab will test the weapon and had some serious questions concerning whether this lab will be able to accurately measure how much power came out of the weapon.

The testing procedure protocol the lab would follow states:

"The authors give no warranty or representation of any kind whatsoever that the recommendations contained in this report are comprehensive."

The testing procedure also describes the weapon's waveform as having two parts: the Arc phase (the quick high-voltage phase), and the Main phase (the longer, lower-voltage phase).

To read the entire test procedure, click here.

The people who wrote the protocol state their information will primarily come from the lower energy phase.

Why?

They state that because of potential equipment limitations, "measurements of the peak voltage, peak current and charge of the arc phase may be in error."

9 News discussed the testing concerns with Mike Leonasio of Force Technologies Institute.

Leonasio tests Tasers regularly for law enforcement at his lab in Northern California and was referred to 9 News as an "expert" by a federal agency looking into standardizing the measuring of tasers.

"They specifically talk about some equipment not having the capabilities of measuring that high voltage spike. We don't have that problem," said Leonasio. "The equipment that we utilize has no issues with that whatsoever so we can actually record the entire waveform."

Leonasio says he began testing weapons in response to news reports in Canada three years ago that weapons were failing tests there.

In one case, the Royal Canadian Mounted Patrol pulled hundreds of Tasers after 80 percent reportedly failed tests.

In another case, the Canadian Broadcast Company (CBC) had an accredited lab test 44 X26 Tasers in use at that time by U.S. police officers.

CBC reporter Frederic Zalac reported, "The results revealed that four Tasers delivered higher electrical charges, at times up to 50 percent higher than the manufacturer's specifications."

"I think what they proved was what I've seen as well," said Leonasio, "They showed a significant percentage of devices that were outside of manufacturer's specs."

Taser international challenged the method of testing done for that CBC report.

In fact, at an inquiry into a death in Canada following a tasing, Taser International co-founder Tom Smith testified that the weapons did not need testing.

"The device is calibrated such that it can not output any more power. It's running at 100 percent so we do not recommend testing the output," said Smith.

Leonasio says it's very important to test.

"It's important because we need to know what this weapon is doing. And to kind of put it into context a little bit it's not uncommon for us in law enforcement for us to test equipment. Radar guns are tested on a regular basis, blood alcohol testers are tested on a regular basis," said Leonasio.

In fact, the U.S. has standards concerning the testing of X-ray machines, automatic electronic defibrillators, pacemakers etc., but not tasers.

9 News asked Attorney General Dewine whether he thought there should be some standard way of testing these weapons so that we can be perfectly accurate as to what is released from them and protect people who might be hit by them.

"Well again, what we have to do is go to the best place we can find and that's what we're doing," said Dewine. "The report will stand on its own. If there are exceptions in the report, if there are things where they indicate they could not test, that's something that the prosecuting attorney in Hamilton County, Mr. Deters, and whoever else looks at it in Hamilton County, is going to have to take into consideration. I would just emphasize that the report that this lab does and the testing that this lab does is only part of the whole investigation."

"On behalf of the family, we're impatient," said Attorney Al Gerhardstein, who represents the Howards.

"Any testing that's a waste of time is just that. It's a waste of time. If it's going to delay an answer to these parents it shouldn't be done. The right thing should be done. And if we're this far down the road on Tasers and we still don't know how to test them in order to make sure they're safe for deployment into peaceful civilians then we better get on this as quickly as possible and do more to protect citizens," said Gerhardstein.

"I'm not for taking Tasers off the street. I'm for reform. I'm for training. I'm for safety, honesty, tell the truth," said Travonna Howard, Everette's mother.

The Howards say their son, an award-winning wrestler and captain of his team in high school, was a respectful kid who had a bright future.

"He knew authority, his records, his awards, his community involvement, what he did speaks for itself," said Travonna.

"I just think how we sacrificed and we worked hard to get our son for school and overtime and working days and working nights. We sacrificed because we wanted what we didn't have and what was best for him," said his mother.

Everette actually graduated from the Upward Bound program the night before he died.

On the night he died, a report of a fight on campus brought in U.C. police.

According to U.C. police, Everette ignored a warning to back off, so an officer tased him. The accounts given by police and witnesses of exactly what led up to the tasing are still being investigated.

"Sometimes I'm just broke to think what my son's body went through with that," said Travonna.

There is an effort in the U.S. currently to come up with a standard way of testing tasers.

The "National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES)" had a meeting in January of this year, during which industry experts weighed in.

NIST refused any comment, only referring 9 News to Leonasio as an expert sitting on its panel.

Leonasio tells 9 News NIST is working on an international standard, but did not say when such a standard for testing the electrical output of Tasers would be released.

Taser International refused comment, and has thus far denied numerous requests for an on camera interview with 9 News.

9 News is continuing its research into all facets of Taser use and the safety concerns surrounding this electroshock weapon.

Cops say stun guns safe

February 25, 2010
CARY CASTAGNA, Edmonton Sun

Despite public concern about stun guns sending out more electrical current than specified by the manufacturer, Edmonton police say that most of their small percentage of defective Tasers have registered below-tolerance readings.

And the few deemed to be above tolerance were still within safe parameters, said Const. Olena Fedorovich, of the Edmonton Police Service officer safety unit.

“There’s an assumption that they’re above tolerance. They’re not. They’re below most of the time,” she told the Edmonton Sun.

“There have been a few where either their pulse rate or main phase was slightly above manufacturer’s specifications — but they’re still considered safe.”

Chief Mike Boyd told the Edmonton Police Commission last week that 23 conducted energy weapons (CEWs) were pulled from service in 2009 because they failed independent testing. That amounted to about 6% of the EPS’s stock last year.

Statistics on how many were under or above tolerance weren’t available.

But an April 2009 report made public by the Ottawa-area engineering firm that tests them, MPB Technologies Inc., shows that out of 175 Edmonton police CEWs tested, six were under tolerance, five were above and five others were both under and above.

The under-above results occur because five aspects are tested on each CEW: pulse duration, pulse rate, main phase net charge, main phase peak current and main phase peak voltage.

Of the 23 CEWs taken out of service last year, 17 were returned to Taser International to be replaced under warranty.

The remaining six are being stored for at least two years pending complaints and investigations, according to an EPS report.

The EPS plans to buy 15 new CEWs from Taser International this year at a cost of about $23,000, giving the service a total of 431, said Fedorovich.

Each CEW, including a holster, costs about $1,500 plus GST, Fedorovich added.

“It’s not a cheap program,” she said. “This is a very expensive and important program. We don’t take it lightly and we don’t take our training lightly.”

Fedorovich admitted that some officers have some apprehension about using CEWs stemming from recent controversy.

“The hassle of being questioned regarding your use of force is very stressful,” she explained. “But we do not have droves of members turning in their Tasers. That is not happening. Members are still carrying their Tasers and they’re still using their Tasers.

“It is a very valuable weapon and our operators recognize that. They also have a heightened understanding of the liability and accountability associated to it.”

CEWs are tested every 12 months, as dictated by the Alberta solicitor general. In addition, each EPS stun gun is subject to maintenance up to four times a year, Fedorovich said.

Mounties testing Taser video cams

February 17, 2010
Jim Bronskill, Canadian Press

OTTAWA — The Mounties are making some videos, and you don’t want to be in them.

RCMP officers in Kelowna, B.C., and Moncton, N.B., are testing two kinds of cameras that will record Taser firings during six-month field trials.

Included in the tests are the Taser Cam, an accessory for newer-model stun guns made by Taser International, supplier to the RCMP, and the VIDMIC, an audio-video recorder that attaches to an officer’s belt radio.

Field testing of the devices in the two communities was slated to begin in December, say internal briefing notes on the project obtained under the Access to Information Act.

Results from the trials will be analyzed to determine whether one or both of the devices are used more widely by the RCMP.

The tests come amid growing concern about police accountability on use of stun guns, which deliver a powerful jolt that incapacitates suspects.

An RCMP complaints commission report on the case of Robert Dziekanski — who died after being hit with an RCMP Taser at the Vancouver airport — said there would have been a clear benefit” to video footage capturing the events from the officers’ perspectives.

Complementing stun guns with recording devices may be beneficial because documenting incidents can make police more accountable, said Micheal Vonn, policy director of the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. However, an important factor will be what happens to the video and audio after they are recorded, she said.

There should be protocols to ensure the digital recordings cannot be tampered with and are readily made available to police watchdogs, she said.

“We see a lot of video go missing that complainants say would support their side of the story.”

Vonn noted that a public tussle ensued over an amateur videotape of the October 2007 confrontation involving Dziekanski. The tape was returned to traveller Paul Pritchard, who shot the video and loaned it to the RCMP, after he threatened to go to court.

The RCMP rented a total of 10 Taser Cams and 10 VIDMICS for the trials, say the notes.

Laboratory testing of the Taser Cams by MPB Technologies revealed that one was not functioning properly and that the battery could not be charged more than 20 per cent.

The notes indicate the lab tests also raised questions about the reliability of the Taser when the camera is attached. The camera comes with its own power supply that replaces the standard Taser power pack.

When the batteries were depleted to a level of 25 per cent with the camera in place, the Taser worked within tolerance 77 per cent of the time. When the same depletion test was done with the standard battery, the stun gun functioned within tolerance 92 per cent of the time.

The force believes six months is long enough to gather sufficient data and to see how the recording devices fare in cold weather and when officers are wearing winter gloves.

The RCMP didn’t respond today to questions about the status of the tests.

Nova Scotia RCMP pulls older Tasers out for testing

June 2, 2009
CBC News

The RCMP in Nova Scotia is taking 66 of its stun guns out of service as part of a nation-wide effort to test older models.

The decision to test older M-26 Tasers was made after the B.C. government announced Monday that such weapons don't meet the manufacturer's specifications.

"They'll be sent out for routine testing to ensure that they're meeting the manufacturer's standards," Cpl. M.J. Deluco, an RCMP spokesperson in Nova Scotia, said Tuesday.

Deluco said 31 newer stun guns will remain in service in the province.

MPB Technologies Electronic Centre, an independent laboratory in Ontario, examined 128 older-model M-26 Tasers used by the B.C. municipal police, sheriffs and corrections officers. Of those, 102 failed the test.

The lab concluded that 102 devices didn't meet the manufacturer's specifications, while 101 had output below those specifications. One unit failed due to a combination of factors.

Mounties shelve older tasers

June 1, 2009
Robert Matas, Globe and Mail

The RCMP is following B.C.'s lead in pulling older tasers from their arsenals and taking 1,600 older-model tasers out of service across the country until each unit can be tested.

B.C. testing discovered that 80 per cent of 128 units of the M-26 model were unable to meet manufacturers' specifications.

Solicitor-General Rich Coleman, who was appointed as minister responsible for policing in the heat of the provincial election race, replacing John van Dongen, said he acted without hesitation when he heard the test results on Friday.

"Quite frankly, I'm not taking any risks," Mr. Coleman said yesterday in an interview at his constituency office.

"As soon as I heard there was a failure rate, I cancelled them. It's the right thing to do," he said.

Mr. Coleman said he directed the older M-26 units to be pulled immediately from service. Newer models continue to be used.

The RCMP, which serves as a municipal police force in several urban areas, agreed, he said.

The Mounties also decided over the weekend to pull the older tasers nationwide.

The use of tasers to subdue agitated people has been in the spotlight since Robert Dziekanski died in October, 2007, after he was shot five times with a taser at Vancouver airport.

The taser emits an electrical shock. The testing revealed that the units produced less electrical output than expected 90 per cent of the time.

"They were ineffective," Mr. Coleman said. "That means what happens is you have a tendency to shoot them more than once."

But he dismissed the suggestion that the test results may reflect on what happened to Mr. Dziekanski.

The taser used at the Vancouver airport was tested and functioned as it was intended, he said.

Tasers will not be re-introduced into policing until they meet the appropriate standards or are replaced, Mr. Coleman said.

RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, speaking to reporters, said the RCMP had not found the same problems in its own testing. But the Mounties still decided to pull the weapons from their arsenal across the country.

"We want to make sure that the weapon, in the odd case that it is resorted to, does what the officer expects it to," Mr. Elliott said.

"The public and our officers need to know that we take our responsibilities seriously and that we ensure that the devices and other weapons that [our officers] have perform appropriately."

The RCMP in B.C. will continue to use newer X-26 models.

"I think it is a tool, used properly, that saves lives - both police officers and community lives - and protects the public," Mr. Coleman said later during a news conference.

"But it is a question of training and use and calibration," he added.

Peter T. Holrann of Taser International said the company stands behind the quality and safety of its electronic control devices.

"It is not unusual for some high-tech electrical devices to experience a slight degradation in the electrical components over time, similar to what occurs in other electronic products," he said.

Test results revealing lower output show that the devices did not compromise medical safety, he added.

"Since there has been confusion over proper testing protocol and specification resulting in invalid test results in other provinces, under no circumstance should any of these devices be destroyed so as to preclude further analysis by other labs and Taser International Inc.," Mr. Holrann stated in a news release.

RCMP halts use of older model Tasers after B.C. decision

Be sure to read the comments that follow the report, from my fellow Canadians. Here are just a few prime examples:

"Lets see
1.) 101 units had output below the manufacturer's specification (more safe)
2). The new model is smaller and produces less output while achieving the same operational result (more safe)
3.) An old M26 equals a new X26
4.) Lets buy some new X-26's.
5.) I get it now"

"If the old model was defective, what makes them trust the newer ones? Have they tested the newer model tazers before handing them out to cops on the street? Will taxpayers get a refund for the older models? Or is Canada a cash cow for Tazer International? Will the poor Polish immigrant be refunded his life? I say we take ALL electrocution guns off OUR streets yesterday!"

"Hold up just a minute....am I reading this right? The tasers are being pulled because they are delivering a shock that is TOO LOW?!? Email your local MP to get rid of this dammed device!"

"Think people. If they don't meet the manufacturers' specs, then who the hell made them? If they weren't up to snuff then they should have been recalled."

"so when is the lawsuit comin' against Taser for false advertising or a product recall by them or other legal remedies! probably just drop it as maybe some payoffs might get uncovered!"

"Not good enough. Take them all away, permanently before more people are killed. How many people have to die before tasers are considered a safety hazard?"

June 1, 2009
CBC News

The RCMP is pulling all older model M-26 Tasers from service nationwide after the B.C. government announced Monday such weapons don't meet the manufacturer's specifications.

B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman ordered the province's RCMP service to pull all 578 of its older-model M-26 Tasers from service after testing showed the same models used by municipal police forces, sheriffs and corrections officers didn't meet the manufacturer's specifications 80 per cent of the time.

The province's decision prompted the Mounties to issue a statement from Ottawa saying the force is removing all its M-26 stun guns from active service "until each unit can be tested."

"The RCMP will continue testing the M-26 [conducted energy weapons] in its inventory across the country. Only those confirmed to be functioning appropriately will be returned to service," the statement said.

The RCMP is updating its Taser inventory, replacing older M-26 units with the more reliable X-26 model, the statement said. The new model is smaller and produces less output while achieving the same operational result, it added.

102 older model M-26 Tasers failed test

MPB Technologies Electronic Centre, an independent laboratory in Ontario, conducted the testing last month for the B.C. government. It examined 128 older-model M-26 Tasers used by the B.C. municipal police, sheriffs and corrections officers. Of those, 102 failed the test.

Test results of the 128 stun guns revealed:

102 did not meet the manufacturer's specifications.
101 units had output below the manufacturer's specifications.
one unit failed due to a combination of factors.
Coleman said none of the M-26 models can be put back in service until they've been repaired and retested.

Last December, the B.C. government requested municipal chiefs of police to pull from service, for testing, all Tasers that were acquired before Jan. 1, 2006.

The first round of testing on X-26 models was completed and made public in April. Ten per cent of the 82 stun guns tested failed to meet the manufacturer's specifications.

Testing on 280 X-26 models purchased after 2006 by provincial agencies was also underway.

The police use of Tasers has become more controversial since Robert Dziekanski died in October 2007 at the Vancouver airport, shortly after being shocked up to five times by the Mounties.

His death prompted a provincially mandated inquiry, which is being overseen by retired B.C. Court of Appeal justice Thomas Braidwood.

B.C. orders Mounties to stop using almost 600 M26 Tasers after failed tests

"Independent testing completed last month for the province [of British Columbia] showed the same models used by municipal police forces, sheriffs and corrections did not meet manufacturer's specifications 80 per cent of the time."

This is not just an RCMP problem - this ban must be imposed on police forces, sheriffs and corrections nationwide!!

June 1, 2009
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

VICTORIA, B.C. — The RCMP is pulling older-model Tasers nationwide after testing conducted for the British Columbia government found the weapons failed to meet manufacturer's specifications 80 per cent of the time.

Mounties say all of its M26 conducted energy weapons will be removed from active service until each unit is tested.

The announcement follows a B.C. government decision to order RCMP to immediately stop using 578 M26 model Tasers it had in its B.C. arsenal after tests showed the weapons didn't always meet specifications.

Independent testing completed last month for the province showed the same models used by municipal police forces, sheriffs and corrections did not meet manufacturer's specifications 80 per cent of the time.

RCMP pointed out that the results found that the units produced less electrical output than expected 90 per cent of the time.

Mounties say they still have more than 1,500 newer model Tasers.

The weapons have been under increased scrutiny since the October 2007 death of Robert Dziekanski after he was jolted with an RCMP Taser at Vancouver's airport.

RCMP stop using nearly 600 older-model M26 Tasers

June 1, 2009
CTV.ca News

RCMP are pulling all older-model M-26 Tasers from service across the country, after independent tests in B.C. showed the devices did not meet manufacturer's specifications 80 per cent of the time.

B.C. Solicitor-General Rich Coleman ordered the Mounties to stop using the model in the province, and RCMP said Monday they would follow suit from coast to coast.

Mounties had 578 such devices in their arsenal. They said they would stop using the M-26 Tasers until each unit is tested for safety.

However, RCMP noted that the independent test showed the M-26 Tasers produced less electrical output than expected 90 per cent of the time.

Mounties still have 1,500 newer-model Tasers at their disposal.

Tasers have been under increased scrutiny ever since the October 2007 death of Robert Dziekanski in Vancouver's airport.

"It's really a remarkable turn of events, when you consider how long the Mounties have stood by the technology in the face of great criticism," CTV's Rob Brown said in Vancouver.

Developing story...

Tasers used by B.C. police are faulty: Tests

By Mike Barber, Canwest News Service
April 2, 2009

Eight X26 Tasers 'failed to meet manufacturer's specifications and must therefore be destroyed, or repaired and retested, before going back into service,' a statement released by B.C. Ministry of Public Safety said Thursday.

The provincial Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General announced the results Thursday as part of an independent review of the controversial weapons.

The eight X26 Tasers "failed to meet manufacturer's specifications and must therefore be destroyed, or repaired and retested, before going back into service," a statement released by the ministry said.

B.C. Solicitor General John van Dongen requested the review in December 2008. He asked municipal police chiefs to pull the conductive energy weapons for testing because other independent research found some Tasers had been dispensing a higher charge than manufacturers had listed.

"We are going to be establishing a routine provincial policy for testing," said van Dongen.

The eight faulty Tasers came from Vancouver, New Westminster, Port Moody and Saanich police departments and from B.C. Corrections.

Seven of the X26s "failed to produce a pulse rate high enough to meet manufacturer's specifications," while the eighth was withdrawn for a number of unspecified reasons.

The conducted electricity weapons are supposed to discharge 50,000 volts of electricity when fired.

Van Dongen said the seven Tasers that had pulse rates below the manufacturer's standard could have posed a threat to the officers using them because they could have been left exposed to possible attacks from suspects.

Eighty-two X26s made before 2006 had been tested. The eight faulty Tasers represent a 10 per cent failure rate, which the release said was in line with tests in other jurisdictions.

Last week, Quebec Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis announced five Tasers would be destroyed after they malfunctioned during testing.

The five were among a group of 52 stun guns that were made before 2005. He said the remaining 115 guns available to 14,000 police officers in the province also will be tested.

Alberta's solicitor general, Fred Lindsay, directed the province's police forces to turn in 400 X26s for testing in January. The results of those tests are still pending.

The ministry is still waiting for test results for the province's 126 M26 Tasers, which also had been included in the recall.

MPB Communications, based in the Ottawa area, conducted the tests for B.C. and Alberta.

Taser testing reveals glitch in one Kingston stun gun

March 20, 2009
ROB TRIPP, Kingston Whig-Standard

Kingston Police have sent one of their electric stun guns back to its American manufacturer after tests showed it was not operating according to specifications.

Chief Stephen Tanner said the Taser is one of 19 that was tested at an independent Ottawa laboratory.

The tests showed that all of the weapons are discharging acceptable amounts of electricity. They are designed to deliver 50,000 volts to incapacitate a person.

Kingston's Tasers are supposed to operate with a pulse rate between 16.5 and 20 pulses per second. The faulty gun pulsed at 16.1.

"I'm not sure that's scientifically significant," Tanner said, in an interview.

He's not sure what problem would be caused by the lower pulse rate.

"It was probably delivering less of an impact," Tanner said yesterday, at a meeting of the police services board, the civilian body that oversees the department.

To be certain it doesn't present a problem, Kingston Police are shipping the weapon to Taser International and asking the firm to bring the gun back within specs.

"It probably is not a warranty matter," Tanner said, though he doesn't expect it will be costly fix.

If the gun can't be adjusted, it will be replaced.

Kingston Police have 34 Tasers. All are undergoing independent tests to satisfy public concern about the weapons after an investigative report broadcast last December by CBC television found that some older model Tasers emitted much larger shocks than the American manufacturer said was possible.

The finding fuelled public controversy about the weapons and prompted many police agencies to pull the weapons out of use until they could be tested.

Kingston Police did not stop using their Tasers.

CBC sent 44 Tasers to an independent lab in the U.S. for analysis.

All of Kingston's Tasers are the older model that was part of the CBC testing.

Tanner said the department's remaining Tasers should be tested within the next week or two.

Alberta sends tasers for testing

January 27, 2009
Melissa Dominelli, ctvedmonton.ca

Alberta has started testing older model Tasers used by Alberta police services before January 2006 to make sure they are not delivering shocks that are too powerful.

The units will be tested by an engineering firm, MPB, in Ontario.

Solicitor General, Fred Lindsey said about 100 Tasers have been sent to Ontario, where a testing protocol has been developed.

The decision comes after initial testing, not done by the province, found that some of the older model Tasers in Alberta were producing voltage levels higher than the 50,000 volt shock they're designed for.

"If we have any instrument that's used in law enforcement that's not meeting the manufacturer's specifications, we want to make sure that we test it and ensure that it is and if it isn't, we will take it out of service," said Lindsey.

Lindsey hopes to have all 400 of the older Tasers, known as x-26 models, tested by the end of March and eventually he said testing of all Tasers will be done on a regular basis using facilities in Alberta.

Some critics of Taser usage think the Taser testing a step in the right direction, but say it doesn't go far enough.

Back in October, Trevor Grimolfson was Tasered by police, after he allegedly went on a rampage, breaking objects and attacking people in a city pawn shop.

Grimolfson later died and his close friend, who asked not to be identified, can't help but wonder if the Taser played a role in his death.

"I would rather not see a Taser on any police officer at all," he said.

While the first tests are underway, the solicitor general said all of the province's Tasers will remain in service.

The Edmonton Police Association is happy to hear that other Tasers won't be pulled from service while testing begins.

"It would be irresponsible to take them out of services because they do a lot of good as an intermediate weapon and it stops us from using lethal force," said Tony Simon with Edmonton Police.

And while Trevor Grimolfson's friend is glad the province is taking a second look at Tasers, he wishes it had been done sooner.

"Why couldn't they be testing these Tasers every two months before they go out into the street?"

Effective immediately, any Taser used in an arrest where the suspect is injured will automatically be pulled from service and tested.

Kingston - taser testing not done

January 22, 2009
ROB TRIPP, WHIG-STANDARD POLICE REPORTER

Kingston police have not had any of their 34 Taser tested, seven weeks after an investigative report raised concern that some older models of the weapon could deliver much larger shocks than the manufacturer says is possible.

Last month, Kingston Chief Stephen Tanner said the weapons would be tested.

"It's not stalled, we're just trying to work through the logistics," said Insp. Brian Coachman, of Kingston Police. "There's only one company right now that has been used."

That firm, MPB Electronics in Quanta [Reality Chick here: I think they mean Kanata], has tested Tasers used by Ottawa officers and York Regional Police officers.

"Every unit that we sent successfully completed the testing from the perspective that it was operating within the specifications as established by Taser International," Armanda La Barge, York's police chief, told the Whig-Standard in an interview yesterday.

Last month, Ottawa police said their Tasers that were tested were found to be operating within specifications.

MPB tested 21 York Tasers. The department of more than 1,300 officers has 30 Tasers that are used only by tactical officers.

The remaining units also will be tested, La Barge said. He said he was happy to see that the weapons are operating within specs. "I was relatively confident that would be the case," he said. "I have a responsibility to the citizens and I have a responsibility to the officers that we put these tools in the hands of."

Many police agencies are scrambling to find independent labs to test their Tasers after a CBC television report in early December. It found that some older model Tasers, units manufactured before 2005, delivered far greater electrical shocks than the manufacturer said was possible. In some cases, the current was up to 50% stronger than specifications.

Taser International, the U. S. maker of the guns, disputed the findings. It said the tests didn't follow the right procedure.

Tasers used by Kingston Police are all pre-2005 X26 models that were part of the CBC testing.

All of the York Tasers tested were X26 models, but only two were manufactured before 2005.

Tasers are supposed to deliver a jolt of 50,000 volts of electricity, enough to briefly incapacitate a person, but a growing number of deaths in Canada and the U. S. of people who have been shocked has raised concern about the safety of the weapons.

The CBC report, based on independent scientific testing of 41 Tasers, prompted some police agencies across Canada to pull the stun guns out of use until they could be examined.

"There had been enough doubt raised in my mind that I just felt that I had to do this," La Barge said.

Kingston's chief initially balked at testing but changed his mind, saying that he felt it was important to address a "public perception" issue.

MPB Electronics won't talk about its test results. "We just do measurements for clients, whoever that client may be," said Dan Zanette, the private firm's technical director. "We perform the measurements for them and it's up to them to do what they feel is appropriate." Zanette would not explain, except in general terms, the firm's expertise in testing Tasers.

"All we can say is that the type of testing we perform here is related to lightning- induced transients on various types of equipment that [range] from aircraft to nuclear stations and their instrumentation, commercial equipment that would be susceptible to high voltage, high current transients," he said. Zanette wouldn't say if the firm has experience with Taser testing. "We're sort of uncomfortable with even talking about it,"he said. "Measurements of that kind on those kinds of transients are not new to us, it's just the specific topic of Tasers, which seems to be very sensitive these days."

Kingston Police discovered that the testing may be more costly than expected. MPB isn't licensed to handle Tasers, which are classified as restricted weapons. It could mean an extra expense because a police officer would have to accompany the weapons to the Kanata offices of the lab and then remain with them throughout the testing process. "We have to attach an [officer] to it," Cookman noted.

Two York officers took their Tasers to Kanata and oversaw the tests. "Essentially we do have somebody babysitting any devices or any equipment that's deemed to be like an illegal firearm," Zanette said.

The lab has considered seeking special licensing that would permit staff to handle prohibited weapons without a police officer being present.

Insp. Tony Cooper, deputy chief firearms officer for Ontario, said no private labs in the province have sought a special licence that would allow them to possess Tasers for testing.

Cookman said it's his understanding that discussions about how the tests should be done also is holding up further tests. "They're tweaking their methodologies as they progress through this," he said. "They left me with the impression that they wanted to upgrade or finesse what they have."

Zanette wouldn't say if anything is delaying more testing of police Tasers. "Generally there's a desire for some consensus on what should be measured regarding devices of that kind and so there's a lot of discussions going on now," he said. "It's just being discussed on a ... broad sense as to what are the important things to measure about these types of devices."

Kingston's chief has said that he will release the results of tests once they are completed.

RCMP slammed for secretive taser testing

January 17, 2009
ctvbc.ca

B.C.'s government and the RCMP are being slammed for how they plan on testing older police Tasers.

Last month, B.C. Solicitor General John Van Dongen ordered all pre-2006 Tasers to be tested for possible defects. Independent tests showed some older weapons in the U.S. had electrical outputs higher than the manufacturer claimed was possible.

After the announcement, CTV News asked Van Dongen where the testing would be done.

"Well, the testing will be done by...through the normal means that police will use to test equipment," he told CTV's Peter Grainger on Dec. 9.

But the current police Taser testing is being completed in total secrecy, something that concerns B.C.'s Civil Liberties Association.

"I think it would be in their best interest to be open and transparent about exactly how they are testing, exactly the scope," says David Eby.

The association is concerned the RCMP has contracted companies on its own and that there is no outside overseer validating the method of testing or evaluating the results.

"If the lab is not available to say 'here's what we're doing, here's the number of weapons we're testing, here's how many shots we're firing, here are the models we're testing' how can the public have confidence in that?" he asks.

MPB Electronics in Kanata, Ontario is one of the companies testing Tasers for the Mounties. MPB tells CTV they can't talk about the tests or the results, because the RCMP insisted they sign a non-disclosure agreement.

"To do it in secrecy and then maybe release the report -- maybe not release it depending on the results -- is totally inappropriate," says Eby.

BC Civil Liberties has written to B.C.'s Solicitor General, the Public Safety Minister in Ottawa and the RCMP.

The RCMP declined an interview with CTV, but in a statement say MPB Electronics is independent of the police, that non-disclosure agreements are standard practice, and that the testing has yet to start in earnest.

Taser International, the company that makes the stun guns, is also causing controversy. The company has offered to send its engineers to "assist" the Mounties in what is proving to be very secret process.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Peter Grainger

Conducted Energy Weapons - Testing Initiated by the RCMP on Electric Output Issues

December 8, 2008
Government of Canada Newsroom - news.gc.ca

OTTAWA, December 8, 2008—Given concerns raised by recent CBC/Radio Canada broadcasts, the RCMP has undertaken a review of its national inventory of Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs) and has identified 24 TASER Model X-26 units acquired by the RCMP prior to January 1st, 2006. It has directed that these units be removed from service and undergo testing.

On December 4th and 5th, 2008, CBC/Radio Canada aired several reports focusing on performance tests they commissioned on 44 Model X-26 TASER CEWs at an independent U.S. testing facility. The RCMP was referenced as being a major Canadian user of the weapon.

A key focus of the reports was that four of the 44 X-26 TASER units the CBC had tested generated electrical currents above the manufacturer’s specifications and accepted variance limits of 15%. Each of those four CEWs were manufactured prior to 2005. The CBC did not provide information on where the tested units came from other than to say they were provided by seven U.S. police agencies.

In the course of preparing its reports the CBC met with the RCMP, on November 4th, 2008, and indicated that test results showed that some TASER units were operating outside the manufacturer’s specifications.

As the RCMP’s primary concern is public safety and officer safety, the RCMP asked the CBC on four separate occasions for a copy of its test results. The CBC declined those requests until December 5th.

In the absence of further information from the CBC, the RCMP collected a sample of 30 CEWs from its Divisions across the country and contracted an accredited, independent research centre, MPB Technologies Electronic Centre, to test them.

The 30 TASER units tested for the RCMP included fifteen M-26 units and fifteen X-26 units. Testing was completed on December 5th, 2008. Although we are awaiting a final report, the RCMP can confirm that all our CEW units tested were within the manufacturer’s specifications.

The steps taken by the RCMP to remove some CEWs from service and to conduct tests is part of our ongoing effort to ensure our policies and practices continue to be appropriate and are based on the best available information.

In the last year the RCMP has made a number of improvements to its CEW policies, training, practices and reporting requirements, including:

Restricting the use of CEWs to incidents involving threats to officer or public safety;

Requiring RCMP officers to be re-certified annually on the use of CEWs; and,

Enhanced use of force reporting.

The RCMP believes that when used appropriately by officers who are properly trained, the CEW is a useful tool which contributes to the safety and security of the public and our police officers.

The RCMP will continue to work with the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, other police services, medical experts and others to further enhance our policies, training, practices and reporting requirements relating to use of force, including the CEW.

The RCMP therefore welcomes the announcement by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) Board of Directors that they will convene a summit of key national players in mid-January to develop a CACP policy on CEWs. The RCMP is looking forward to participating in the process.