Garth Rattray
OPPOSITION MEMBER of Parliament Delroy Chuck has suggested that the government legalise pepper sprays and stun guns for self-defence purposes but the government has consistently opposed this idea. I feel that stun guns are too extreme for the general public but I know numerous rape victims and am therefore soft on the idea of legalising pepper sprays (although some people may use them offensively). But more importantly, I believe that in order to reduce the use of deadly force by the police, they should be properly trained in hand-to-hand combat and also be issued with stun guns and large pepper sprays.
Modern pepper sprays have capsaicin (from hot peppers) as the active ingredient. Unlike older sprays, the effect is immediate and dramatic but temporary. They cause severe irritation of the eyes, nasal membranes and skin. Some people claim that they may be lethal but I have not seen any evidence to support consequential death or blindness in all the trials and widespread usage over the years. Stun guns cause severe disruption of the body's nervous system through the use of a high-voltage charge delivered either by direct contact or by lasers that fire air-propelled darts. The resultant incapacitating paralysis is temporary and there is little permanent risk to health.
An armed member of the constabulary must protect his/her firearm first, endangered citizens next and himself/herself last. If a constable feels threatened by a would-be assailant (armed or not), that policeman or woman will be forced to discharge his/her weapon in order to nullify the threat. This may seem extreme but should the assailant somehow overpower the constable and take away his/her weapon, it can then be used to shoot said constable and commit a variety of crimes against society, including murder.
UNCONTROLLABLE BEHAVIOUR
I once saw a middle-aged woman under detention who was slapped with a variety of charges stemming from her boisterous and uncontrollable behaviour after a passing motorist accidentally splashed her. Things escalated to the point where two young constables (a male and female) ended up fighting with the berserk woman in order to arrest her. Their clothes were dishevelled and they had multiple scratches and bruises over their arms and hands. If only one constable were available to arrest her or if she went for a stone, she would probably have been shot.
A close relative of mine witnessed a belligerent taxi operator (who was apprehended for dangerous driving) fight off three motorcycle cops and make a mad dash for freedom. One cop fired a shot at him while he fled along a busy Red Hills Road! He escaped apparently unhurt but could have been killed because of a traffic stop or the errant bullet could have killed an innocent citizen. A pepper spray or stun gun would have subdued him and no one's life would have been endangered.
Many years ago I was pulled over by two policemen late one night for what I thought was a routine check. I alighted the vehicle as instructed and found myself staring down the barrels of their guns. I asked the nervous pair if this was how they treated decent people. The older of the two replied unapologetically with some obviously rehearsed phrase that had something or the other to do with drawn weapons and being prepared. My only real concern was that one or both guns might have gone off accidentally and I would not be around to defend my innocence. Those cops went for the only defensive (or offensive) weapons at their disposal.
Close-range shooting of suspects and the incidence of justifiable homicides would be dramatically reduced if our police have alternatives to the use of deadly force. Non-lethal weapons facilitate the safe apprehension of unarmed or lightly armed suspects. It's ridiculous to supply lethal weapons as the only formidable means of defence to policemen and women (batons don't qualify as 'formidable'). Human rights organisations may cringe at the suggestion that our security forces be allowed to carry pepper sprays and stun guns, however, although their presence might risk an increase in abuse, they most certainly will reduce the number of police shootings.
Dr Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
