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It's not a party til someone gets tasered

Canadian Press

Latest comment posted at 11:38 PM EDT 14/12/07

Manitoba police checking claims that officers used Taser at party for fun ...Read the full article

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  1. Gardiner Westbound from Canada writes:

    Take the toys away until the boys grow up.
  2. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    You've GOT to be kidding me.
  3. Clark The Mighty from Canada writes: What is the education level of our 'lords' with the guns and the tazers?

    Wake up!

    Little dictators rule the land!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Debts/divorce/violence/alcohol...that is Canada's police!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  4. Hal 9000 from toronto, Canada writes: Better than a waterboarding party. Maybe they should combine the two activities into a real fun fest.
  5. Jo Blo from as far from Toronto as possible, Canada writes: Sounds like an episode of Jackass! It must've been a riot; sorry I missed it!
  6. Some Guy from Canada writes: Those dummies should have gone all the way and asked what it felt like to be shot through with a bullet.
  7. richie b from Canada writes: That is truly shocking!
  8. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: Boy...I wish I had a Taser
  9. D. B. from Greater Sask., Canada writes: And I thought our police officers were being better trained these days. Sorry, I missed all those news items about Taser deaths. I see that the Globe and Mail, in this article, also missed the story about the fellow in Nova Scotia who died after being tasered, while in prison.
  10. evelyn robinson from Canada writes: They need to take the tasers away until they accept the reality that they are killing unarmed people who are merely having a mental breakdown. That should not be a crime punishable by such cruel painful attacks by the police. Quit listening to the tser company's BS medical nonsnse and the invented disease . Quit accepting goodies and trips from the taser company.
  11. Behind Space from Canada writes: The police version of S&M play XD
  12. Shane Thompson from Toronto, Canada writes: Winston Smith from Brampton, my sentiments exactly. Honestly who cares what they do on their own time for a laugh, it’s truly none of our business. News flash here folks cops are people too and much like the rest of us they do the odd stupid thing.
  13. Hee Haw from Canada writes: So the taser is now a party favour....this just proves that the Polish guy at YVR was over-acting. Then somebody knelt on his neck. It wasn't the Taser that killed him, it was the knee.
  14. Behind Space from Canada writes: But in all seriousness, I interpret this in one of two ways...

    1) These guys are really idiots. Interesting how there are so many examples of police incompetence.

    2) Perhaps this might be the commissioner's way of trying to say to the public, 'Look! Tasers are safe! We can even use them at parties!' He even said that they usually don't publish this stuff, so why of all things would he allow something this ridiculously stupid out? A pathetic and poorly planned PR ploy in that case IMO.
  15. Hee Haw from Canada writes: Actually, I take back my 1:13 comment. I wasn't there.
  16. Red Fox from Canada writes: Behind Space from Canada writes:

    2) Perhaps this might be the commissioner's way of trying to say to the public, 'Look! Tasers are safe! We can even use them at parties!' He even said that they usually don't publish this stuff, so why of all things would he allow something this ridiculously stupid out? A pathetic and poorly planned PR ploy in that case IMO.

    I think he was scared out of his wits...
    There are lots of whistle blowers these days, and sooner or later it would come out. And if it didn't come from the Horse's mouth (i.e. his..) then he would he in some serious Horse S--T.
  17. Behind Space from Canada writes: Red Fox from Canada, haha, that's true too.

    Taser Inc. could also capitalize on this too, with a new slogan 'Great for parties!'. They could even come out with a children's line. The tasers would look like Pez dispensers, except it doesn't shoot out candy =P
  18. Behind Space from Canada writes: In fact, Taser Inc. can go into family products. Picture a new taser, 'fun for the whole family' *Flashes to 1970s classic suburban family. Little girl runs into kitchen and tasers grandmother. Grandmother collapses, and a second later gets up. Grandmother and girl laugh hysterically* *Flash out to annoying jingle*
  19. Peter Simpson from Vancouver, Canada writes: Assuming these were consenting adults it seems well within the limits of normal behaviour. Now before some cop hating loonie blows a gasket, I'd ask you take a deep breath and consider some of the silly things you have seen, or done at parties....that you don't tell your kids about.
  20. John Williams from Ajax, Canada writes: Not only are they using Tasers for 'fun', but people, police, criminals, all over the world are using the Taser for TORTURE. Its a perfect torture device.

    They are also sexual-sadists and masochists who are also able to get Tasers in the US, and bring them into Canada, and they use them in sexual activities.

    The Taser in an absolutely horrible 'device' that leads to the Power being abused.

    People have no idea how corrupt and out of control the police are in this country. Power Corrupts, and that is just how reality works. And because the police unions are way too powerful, and the police always do cover-ups, it just gets worse and worse.

    Power has always corrupted. This is why there are supposed to be a balance to those powers, which we don't have.
  21. John Williams from Ajax, Canada writes: 'Peter Simpson' above is displaying a very severe level of police corruption.

    They are using a police WEAPON outside of the proper channels. They should be charged, fined, thrown off the force, and even jailed.

    But what will happen??

    Absolutely nothing. Cover-up, just like 99.9% of everything else that happens, they cover it up. The thin-blue-line is a protection racket.
  22. Mrs. Whiggins from Canada writes: Light up your next party!

    Come on Canada! It's time for us to have a stun gun in every hand and handbag.

    What's a party without green stuff in your teeth and a tazer by the hot tub!
  23. Mrs. Whiggins from Canada writes: If these 'police' are allowed to take stun guns to parties... how many have gone 'missing'?
  24. Red Fox from Canada writes: Peter Simpson from Vancouver, Canada writes: Assuming these were consenting adults it seems well within the limits of normal behaviour. Now before some cop hating loonie blows a gasket, I'd ask you take a deep breath and consider some of the silly things you have seen, or done at parties....that you don't tell your kids about.

    Peter, if someone gagged you, and pooped on your face with your consent, I wouldn't care. But i don't care who gave the consent, police officers cannot abuse their rights.

    The Taser is
    a) a prohibited weapon (you cannot get one) available only to police and military. It is classified just one level below the handgun, and should be handled responsibly. As soon as you are 'off-duty' you are a civilian, and not allowed to possess a Taser.

    b) government property. It is not a toy, or a water gun....

    c) On duty police officers were present at the party.... why they are being paid, to party and act irresponsibly ?
    ii) if the only duty officer's Taser was used, he should be jailed
  25. Mrs. Whiggins from Canada writes: Willy Pickton is grinding his teeth in prison tonight wishing he could have been at parties where police used stun guns on 'willing' party goers. It might have shocked him into a whole new MO. A lot less messy, for one thing.

    People. Please. I know the comment I made directly above is shocking, gritty and downright disgusting. Yet it had to be said. There is a fine line between what is humane and what is not. Police taking and using stun guns at parties is very far over the line. Willy Pickton used all manner of things to go very much over the line, but would I suspect have been enamoured of stun guns if they were available to him. Cattle prods were the best he could come up with.
  26. John E7 from Saltspring Island, Canada writes: Ahh yes drunks with tasers and drunks with long guns - makes me feel so safe and secure...
  27. Mei-Xing Xu from Canada writes: BOB DURRANT from Calgary, writes:' Any chance we could make Dion dance around the Commons on the end of a taser? Would provide many hours of fun for the whole family and might actually allow the rest of us to understand what the heck he is saying. '

    --

    Bob you sound like a terrorist.
  28. Randy D from Canada writes: I'd say the immaturity of these people is shocking but then some superintendent comes out and apologizes to a 68 year old stroke victim because his jackbooted bullies tasered him in his car NOT because they tasered the guy for double parking. I guess immaturity knows no ages. Somebody in government better get control of these clowns before the relationship between the taxpayers and the police really deteriorates. Do you lthink the family of this 68 year old will ever look at the poice in the same manner ever again.
  29. John E7 from Saltspring Island, Canada writes: Sigh more slander from a cro-magnon with blue tinted glasses on. Add to the list - drunks with cars...
  30. D K from Canada writes: You know you are at a party....people are passing around a weaponized hallucinogen....why not a taser
  31. Robert Boyd from Windsor, Canada writes: 'Winston Smith from Brampton, Canada writes: how if you are not high on drugs or a complete nut job getting tased doesn't kill you.'
  32. M S from Toronto, Canada writes: They should've played Russian roulette instead, and removed a few more of these incompetent, taser-happy bozos from the gene pool.
  33. Red Fox from Canada writes: Jacob --

    You will agree that when December 31 rolls around and we reflect on what has happened in this country this year, incompetent police will be up there on the list.

    Of course all police officers are not like these people........
    that doesn't mean these people can go off scot free.......
    however the electorate has accepted the fact that NOBODY who makes a living off their TAX DOLLARS is accountable to them.
  34. Jacob Kasperowicz from Kirkland, Canada writes: Is this a travesty? Absolutely. Should the officers be dismissed? I say,yes. This goes beyond an error in judgement. Is it an indictment on Law Enforcement officers as a whole as most of the comments suggest? Absolutely, not. Alluding to police officers as, for the most part,ignorant or stupid is irresponsible and says more about the commentators than the people they are criticizing.
  35. Ken Cowan from Paris, France writes: Of course, the real story here is why a bunch of 'on-duty' policemen were allowed to be hanging around a party in the first place..Are they paid to party now?

    Secondly, of course, (Winston Smith - are you listening? ) if this incident is just a 'plant' to make tasers seem less harmful - the point is that most of the people who died after being tasered were tasered several times in succession and then man-handled as well. (like the man in the Vancouver airport). When the police taser their own men in training programs - they have an officer on each side to catch him before he falls to the floor to make sure he doesn't hurt himself in the fall. They hardly bother being so careful to a civilian who they are tasering - and like the man at the airport, they tehn jump on the guy, handcuff him and leave him face down suffocating and unable to move - especially when a big lout is leaning on your back and neck).
  36. Allan Gunn from Kirkland Lake, Canada writes: Will try again. Having trouble with cyber space this AM seems to be eating my words.
    I think we should all be issued tassers so we would have no need for the police anymore. Laughs.
    On another note when did you last hear of a police officer going to jail over charges being laid against him or her ?
    This one really gets me how many of you have been suspended with pay from your place of employment well charges are pending?
    Yipeeeee holiday time
  37. J Law from Canada writes: I say let's ban the police and each of us look after our own security? Now, where is my squirrel rifle and point me in the direction of them druggies. I kind of think I can be judge, jury and executioner there. Just hope they ain't got guns, too.
  38. Jack Robertson from Toronto, Canada writes: Your police force wants you! Sign up today! No brains required!
  39. True North from Canada writes: 'Partying' must fall above 'apparently combative and actively resistant' in the continuum of force.

    The police say they are going to restrict taser use as a result of public outcry and then the police treat the taser as a party favour.

    btw no tasers have been fired in over a decade in NF and the NS police have suspended use of the weapon while plainly ensuring the safety of the public and the police. Is the only common sense left on the East Coast?
  40. Simon Garth from istanbul, Turkey writes: Where have all those police fans run away? Come on and say that your boys were having a little fun after all, innocently tasering seems to be their favourite passtime.
  41. Dan Shortt from Toronto, Canada writes: Peter Simpson from Vancouver, Canada writes: Assuming these were consenting adults it seems well within the limits of normal behaviour.... I'd ask you take a deep breath and consider some of the silly things you have seen, or done at parties...

    Are you suggesting, then, Mr. Simpson, that tasering people just for fun is an activity for all party-goers to participate in ... or just police officers?

    As someone above mentions, tasers are restricted weapons. The day any one of us can walk into our local Canadian Tire and purchase one is the day I'll agree that they be used for amusement at parties.

    Indeed, one of the reasons they are not available to just anybody is because some idiot would be tempted to go out and use one just for fun.

    Now we find out that the idiots doing that are the people who have been allowed access to these prohibited weapons.

    It is truly scary that the police mentality perspective is that this is just another silly thing that people do at parties.
  42. jamie yavis from New West, Canada writes: Kids with toys! When is Canada's federal and local government's police forces going to act in a professional manner?

    Answer: when they start hiring more qualified people!

    Their is a an old business adage 'if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.'

    This can be adapted to: if you don't adequately recruit, select, and train you get what you get.

    Think it out, normally the recruits are young, just out of high school, and then given basically a certificate course of a few months they are handed a gun, taser, and almost unbridled power ... given those circumstances fun tasering and accidental deaths should be expected not be a surprise.

    Things will not change until we ask more of our police. If they are professionals making life and death decisions then they should have appropriate training to match other professionals who have to make those same decisions.

  43. Anthony B from Sydney, NS, Canada writes: So, next time a cop gives me a traffic ticket, should I just say 'Let's party!'
  44. D. B. from Greater Sask., Canada writes: About the taser lobby, here's a snippet from a CTV story yesterday:

    'A Tory election strategist and former adviser to both the prime minister and public safety minister became a lobbyist for Taser International.'

    Where is Rick McNaulty when you need him? He is the only person on these threads who ever made any sense whatsoever (short quote from Rick's posts: 'hahahahahha').
  45. Zando Lee from Vancouver, Canada writes: .....shocking behavior,,,
  46. D K from Calgary, Canada writes: Though I respect the police as a whole, I have to say this incident shows a real lack of professionalism on some officer’s part. Again, the action of a few officers in a small area does not transfer to the whole, in all sectors you will find people who don't know the boundaries.

    Perhaps some training on the importance of professional behavior and the effect on public perception is in order. When I see an officer manhandle somebody unable to defend themselves I lose some faith in that officer. There is a time and a place for using different training they have, and they need to understand that though what they do may not be harmful it can hurt their reputation. Without a solid reputation they lose the public's confidence and in turn the ability to work cohesively with the public.
  47. Jo Blo from as far away from Toronto as possible, Canada writes: Such outrage! I guess that, when they've finished their shifts, police officers will have to be placed into a storage locker until they start work again!

    I, along with most, expect a lot from police officers, and demand accountability when they deal with citizens. But this was a stupid party. Whether they're on or off duty, police officers have a duty to always enforce the law. Does that mean they become mindless robots? Lighten up, people! Police officers have personalities too!
  48. Zando Lee from Vancouver, Canada writes: ...it seems that Taser International has very deep pockets...similar to Thyssen...these companies are adept in seeking out the lean and hungry fixers always ready to do their bidding for the bucks.....remember Big Tobacco who lied to the world for decades about the safety of their poison....
  49. Zando Lee from Vancouver, Canada writes: ...new police groupie pick up line....'taser me and I will follow you anywhere'...
  50. scott thomas from Canada writes: This is a firing offence.
  51. Nassar Ben Houdja from Canada writes: The atmosphere was electrifieing. At least it wasn't static. Turn up the amp and do something shocking.
  52. dumb and dumber from Canada writes: These drunken a**es should stick to the classic Russian Roulette.
    At least it would sober up most of them, if not all of them. But then not all of them are fit for the job anyways.

    An interesting side note is that tasers are being used for fun at parties, yet it's illegal to own by the public. But handguns are fine.
  53. Hap Stokes from Port Alberni BC, Canada writes: To all the cop detractors, everybody knocking The Horsemen.
    To all the clerical (especially priests) detractors.
    To all those medical detractors too.
    THINK for a half moment!--There is no perfection!
    Especially in Ottawa Ontario!!!

    Yup we have a few really incapable medico morons.
    Yup we have some money grabbing lawyers.
    Sure the cops screw up once in a while.
    And so do airline pilots, truck drivers and office workers too.

    Put ANY two people together and one of them will screw-up.
    Whether priests, cops, doctors, couples or anybody in our system.

    We are all human--THERE IS NO PERFECT SYSTEM in anything.
    Personally have lived in 6 countries (all supposed to be better)
    And have visited 55 more, many also thought better than Canada.
    But just never saw anything I would give up my citizenship over.

    Yeah the RCMP may have some flaws.
    Yup the sentences those judges hand out make me scratch (bum).
    Sure our medical system is SNAFU!
    So are our professional reporters and writers as well.

    But don't throw the BABY out with the bath water.

    Canada ain't PERFECT--But we are closer to perfect than the others.
    Thank God I was born in Saint John NB
    Not in LA, Paris, Copenhagen, Rio de Janeiro or Tokyo.
    Thank You God. And thank you for letting me live in imperfect Canada
  54. allcanadian allamerican from the american sector of, Canada writes: Sounds like a great party, as an officer of the law I would taser everyone and then read them their rights after the fact. I would do it all for the kids of course.
  55. Red Fox from Canada writes: Wow the hypocrisy.
    As soon as an article bashing the government is published, the comments are blocked. Lest the intelligent speak!

    "Mr. Baird also failed in his attempt to gain commitments by China, India and other developing nations to reduce their fast-growing emissions."

    THIS IS BLATANT FALSEHOOD.
    Mr.Baird did not fail at anything, the entire World failed. Is Canada the only nation that will be affected by India and China's refusal to reduce their emission.... F--K NO BIRDBRAINS.

    Good job trying to pin this on Baird's chest, LIBERAL PARTISAN JACKAL. What about the sanctimonious and diplomatic French and English ? Couldn't they bribe the Indians with tea and chocolate cakes, and have them sign the deals ? _|_ you.
  56. Joly Blough from BC, Canada writes: well folks,the reality is the young policemen in this country are your kids.Irresponsible and lacking integrity is often true.These kids are products of our society and that is who we hire.ASk any employer nowadays about the work ethic of the 20 yr olds.They will tell you.

    Don't just criticize the young people,how about their upbringing.

    Sure fire all the irresponsible cops what do you have left?
  57. Red Fox from Canada writes: Joly Blough from BC, Canada --

    Heh heh.
    Good point
    I can only imagine what the kids born in late 80's and 90's will be like ... they are growing up with Paris Hilton, 50 cent, Internet Porn....
  58. fragglerock westcoast from Canada writes: Shane Thompson from Toronto, Canada writes: ... cops are people too and much like the rest of us they do the odd stupid thing. ...
    Cops are not like me. I use my brain at home AND at work. I don't eat donuts obsessively. I neither carry nor have ever discharged a lethal weapon. My job required more than 6 weeks training. I'm not on steroids. I'm not a divorced alcoholic. I don't have a power-trip complex. I don't have an abnormally small sectual appendage. I don't have the legal right to drive at twice the speed limit, through red lights. I don't deal drugs on the side. I don't ignore distress calls. I've never shot a hockey fan in the back of the head. I've never killed anyone at an airport.
  59. bob london from Canada writes: Does a tazer have to be licenced or registered? I should order one to defend myself from cops. If I make a mistake the cop will have peed himself but we can all have a laugh, a beer and tazer for fun.

    At least I won't have accidently pulled a Houston.
  60. dumb and dumber from Canada writes: fragglerock westcoast, we wish there are more people like you in the force.

    Also I'd like to see tazers being classified as the same category as handguns. To ban it outright for the public implies that tazers is more lethal than guns.
  61. Al , from Maritimes, Canada writes: S & M party?

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