An analysis of the effectiveness and use by the New Zealand Police of the TASER from 2009 to 2017
| Date | 01 December 2020 |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355720947779 |
| Published date | 01 December 2020 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
An analysis of the effectiveness and use
2020, Vol. 22(4) 356–365
ª The Author(s) 2020
by the New Zealand Police of the TASER
Article reuse guidelines:
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from 2009 to 2017
DOI: 10.1177/1461355720947779
journals.sagepub.com/home/psm
Garth den Heyer
Arizona State University and Walden University, USA
Abstract
A number of police agencies around the world have introduced conductive energy devices such as the TASER as a less-
than-lethal weapon to restrain physically violent subjects. Despite the increase in TASER use, there is a limited amount of
literature available that examines its use and effectiveness. The New Zealand Police introduced the TASER in 2009
following a successful trial of the device. This research examines the use and effectiveness of the TASER by the New
Zealand Police for the period 2010 to 2017 and shows that the use of the device has increased year-on-year. The analysis
also found that while use of the device has increased at violent events, the form of that use has changed. Over the period of
analysis, use of the discharge mode has increased compared with the show mode and as the use of the TASER increased,
injuries sustained by subjects and officers also increased. The research also highlights the limitations of the methodology
adopted to measure the effectiveness of TASER use and discusses options that could assist future research in examining
use of the TASER by police agencies.
Keywords
TASER, conductive energy devices, New Zealand police, tactical options
Submitted 15 Oct 2019, Revise received 21 Apr 2020, accepted 01 Jun 2020
Introduction
mental capabilities and whether drugs and alcohol are
involved (Taylor and Woods, 2010).
Force used by the police has been defined by the Interna-
Definitions by police agencies provide police officers
tional Association of Chiefs of Police as the ‘amount of
with decision-making principles that are helpful in deter-
effort required by police to compel compliance by an
mining whether it is appropriate to use force and the type of
unwilling subject’ (United States Department of Justice,
force that should be used in particular situations. The def-
National Institute of Justice, 2012). The United Nations
initions usually cover the use of all forms of force, includ-
also advise that the basic principles of the use of force by
ing verbal and physical restraint, less-than-lethal and lethal
law enforcement is that they may only use force when it is
force (United States Department of Justice, National Insti-
strictly necessary and only to the extent that is required for
tute of Justice, 2012). There are many ways in which police
performing their duties (United Nations, 1990). The
agencies have implemented less-than-lethal force, such as
accepted approach for the use of force is that police officers
by using conductive energy devices (CEDs). The purpose
should not use more force than is necessary to maintain
of this research is to examine one device in the less-than-
control of an incident, to carry out an arrest, or to protect
the public or themselves from the threat of injury or death
(United States Department of Justice, National Institute of
Corresponding author:
Justice, 2012). Several factors are involved when a police
Garth den Heyer, Arizona State University and Walden University, 411 N
officer decides whether to use force, and include the loca-
Central Ave Phoenix Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
tion of the encounter, the type of people involved, their
Email: garth.den.heyer@gmail.com
den Heyer
357
lethal force category: the TASER and its use by the New
New Zealand Police for the period 2010 to 2017 and the
Zealand Police.
fifth section summarizes and discusses this information.
CEDs have been used by the police for more than 40
The final section includes the conclusion and comments
years (Ariel et al., 2019) and more than 600 000 devices are
on future research directions.
now used by police officers around the world (APM
Reports, 2019). Although the use of TASERs by the police
has been criticized, for example, its over-use and in relation
Existing research on the use of TASERs
to the death of subjects (Ariel et al., 2019), TASERs have
been effective in subduing subjects in situations in which
Despite the large number of TASER devices being used by
lethal force would have otherwise been used by an officer
police agencies in the USA and other countries around the
(White and Ready, 2007).
world (Police Executive Research Forum, 2011), the body
Many police agencies allow officers to use the TASER
of empirical research on their use is limited (Ariel et al.,
on aggressive or threatening subjects when alternative less-
2019). Furthermore, only a limited number of researchers
than-lethal force options are not practicable (Police Exec-
have examined the effectiveness of the use of the TASER
utive Research Forum, 2011). The main objective in having
by law enforcement officers (Alpert and Dunham, 2010;
the TASER available for officers is to provide the officer
Ariel et al., 2019; Thomas et al., 2010).
with an optional tactic that could be used rather than having
In studies that have examined use of the TASER, it was
them use lethal force to control violent individuals (Amer-
found that more than 75% of incidents occurred indoors
ican Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, 2013).
(White and Ready, 2010) and that more than 80% of the
The New Zealand Police use a Tactical Options frame-
subjects were male and had an average age of 35 years
work to provide their officers with ‘a training and opera-
(Lindberg, 2012). This earlier research also found that
tional guidance tool . . . to appropriately decide when, how,
more than half of the subjects were of African American
and at what level to use tactical option(s)’ (Locker, 2017:
descent and approximately 27% were Hispanic, whereas
15). The framework provides a reference for officers ‘to use
fewer than 20% were White (White and Ready, 2007,
force that is necessary and proportionate, given all the cir-
2010). Most of the subjects showed signs of mental
cumstances known at the time’ (Locker, 2017: 15). Use of
instability and just under 20% of subjects were intoxicated
the TASER is one option in the Tactical Options frame-
at the time of the encounter. Forty per cent of subjects were
work. This means that use of the TASER is one of a number
armed and approximately 95% of subjects displayed vio-
of tactical options available to the officer when their per-
lent behaviour, particularly towards the officer (White and
ceived cumulative assessment1 of a situation is that a sub-
Ready, 2007, 2010).
ject’s behaviour is within or beyond assaulting the officer
Introducing the TASER has shown to be effective. It is a
and poses a threat to the officer’s life (New Zealand Police
valuable alternative to the use of deadly force and has led to
Tactical Options Card, n.d.a). When an officer can use a
a reduction in injuries to the subject, especially injuries that
TASER is clearly specified in the Tactical Options Card
require medical attention (Taylor and Woods, 2010; Tho-
and it may be used only to defend the officer or other
mas et al., 2010). Early research by White and Ready
people, make an arrest or prevent the escape of an offender
(2007), documented that there was no evidence that appli-
(New Zealand Police Tactical Options Card, n.d.a).
cation of the TASER resulted in death, and later research
The use of the TASER by the New Zealand Police has
by White et al. (2012), found that in more than half of fatal
not been independently evaluated. This article is the first
TASER incidents, the subjects had mental health or sub-
independent evaluation and analysis of the use and effec-
stance abuse disorders. It was also found that subjects with
tiveness of the TASER by the New Zealand Police from
mental health or substance abuse disorders were more
2009 to 2017. The analysis includes an examination of the
likely to act in an aggressive manner and continue to resist
use of the TASER, the demographics of the subjects, and
after the application of the device (Kesic et al., 2012; Lind-
the injuries sustained by the subject and the police officer.
berg, 2012).
The primary aim of the research is to provide an indepen-
One disadvantage with police agencies using the
dent review and evaluation of the use of the TASER by the
TASER is that a ‘weapons effect’ may be induced (Ariel
New Zealand Police.
et al., 2019). In a study of police officers in London, who
The first section of the article presents a short of review
attended 5,981 incidents and were visibly armed with a
of the TASER literature and their use by police agencies.
TASER, it was found that officers used force 48% more
The second section examines the history of the TASER by
often than unarmed officers, and were more likely to be
the New Zealand Police. This is followed by a discussion of
assaulted than officers on unarmed shifts (Ariel et al.,
the methodology used to evaluate the strategy. The fourth
2019). This led researchers to suggest that TASERs can
section presents a review of the use of the TASER by the
trigger a ‘weapons effect’: a psychological phenomenon
358
International Journal of Police Science & Management 22(4)
in which the sight of a weapon increases aggressive
The New Zealand Police introduced the TASER X26
behaviour.
model on 1 March 2009 following a successful...
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