Kent police send out 'Pro Taser' Survey to local residents

MAIDSTONE

The Kent Police have just sent Volunteer Panelists a Survey asking for their opinion on Taser use without providing relevant facts.

Tasers are devices that discharge a 50,000 volt shock which affects the nervous system and causes the muscles to contract, the subject will be incapacitated and fall to the ground. 

The very basic Kent Police Survey failed to list disadvantages.

In their introductory letter it stated that "the Home Office authorised Tasers for non-firearms officers who have been trained to use Taser in violent or potentially violent situations where it is considered necessary to use force to protect the public, themselves and/or the subject. At Kent Police we are currently considering how this might affect public opinion".

Kent is a mostly a conservative country and the 'pro-Taser survey' failed to back up the survey with useful statistics.   It also failed to point out how many times a person could be Tasered. One person shot by a taser, though this was not in the UK, was shot ten times, that's a 500,000 volts. Some people fired on by tasers have died. Again this has been omitted from the Survey. J

Just how on earth can Panelists give  a considered opinion without enough information. These surveys are just far too simple, and misleading.

The Survey also failed to state that the police would have no details of the person's medical conditions, for example, if the person was pregnant or other medical issue.   

I list below the questions they sent out a couple of days ago (bear in mind that some questions appear to encourage a positive response).

1) Were you previously aware of what a Taser is?

2) Were you previously aware that Kent Police use Taser as a tactical option?

3) To what extent do you agree or disagree with Police use of Taser as an effective way to resolve violent and confrontational situations

4) To what extent do you agree or disagree that Police use of Taser is a useful way to dissuade potentially violent people from becoming violent (as often officers only have to draw and aim to resolve a situation.

5) To what extent do you agree or disagree the use of Taser improves officer and public safety.

6) Do you think the availability of Taser for specially trained officers should increase in Kent Police?

7) If Kent Police increased the distribution of Taser to more specially trained officers, do you think this would have a positive or negative effect on your confidence in the police?

8) If Kent Police increased the distribution of Taser to more of its officers do you think this would have a positive or negative effect on your feelings of safety?"

From the Survey, I think if people don't even know what a Taser is, it is even more important that they should know what the disadvantages are.

The deadline for this important subject is 10th November 2009, not very good if a panelist has been on holiday or someone with various time commitments.

I am going to pop mine in first class today, even though it is FREEPOST (second class) which takes days.    Clearly they want our opinion 'rushed'.

For the original copy contact Kent Police 01622-652667 Email citizens.panel@kent.pnn.police.uk