Police at war over tasered teen

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/police-may-pay-for-tasering-g...

A 16-year-old girl shot by police with a Taser stun gun in Brisbane last year could reap tens of thousands of dollars in compensation, legal experts say.

The Crime and Misconduct Commission's criticism of police handling of the April incident, which saw one of the controversial electric shock weapons used on the girl as she waited for an ambulance, would only bolster a compensation claim against the government.

"This girl's copped 50,000 volts from this machine. That is a pretty significant electric shock," Brisbane solicitor and compensation specialist Mark O'Connor said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she has at the very least been traumatised. She may have some lingering effects or injuries. The level of psychological injury would have to be assessed...but in these circumstances she could be looking at tens of thousands of dollars."

The girl had been waiting with a friend for an ambulance at South Bank in April when she refused a police direction to move on and was zapped with the Taser by a male officer.

She was charged with obstructing police but the charge was dropped in the Children's Court, where a magistrate blasted the behaviour of police as an overreaction.

The sentiment was echoed in official findings handed down yesterday by the CMC, which concluded police had used excessive force against the girl and had breached their own policy banning the use of Tasers on juveniles.

Mr O'Connor said compensation claims against police on the grounds of excessive force were not uncommon, but could be long and "bitter" legal battles.

"But I think in this case, the finding (of the CMC) is obviously in her favour. I expect she'd have an easier ride than most. The difficulty will be proving the extent of her injuries."

Aside from physical harm, Mr O'Connor said people who had fallen victim to heavy-handed police commonly suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, hyper-vigilance and loss of sleep.

"They can become scared of police. It can affect their ability to work," he said.

"I think this is a strong case... I would certainly advise her to (pursue) it."

Criminal defence lawyer Michael Bosscher, a vocal opponent to Tasers, said the CMC's findings were "inevitable".

"There is almost no justification for Tasering a 16-year-old," Mr Bosscher said.

"Two months into the operational use of Tasers and the Queensland Police Service has been absolutely spanked by the CMC already.

"We are going to see more findings like this come out of the CMC and it is inevitable that there will be serious injury, and ultimately a fatality, as a result of these weapons in Queensland."

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said Taser training for officers had been enhanced in the wake of the South Bank incident, which occurred during a trial of the weapons.

Police Minister Judy Spence has been accused of bowing to pressure from Queensland's powerful police union and rushing through a roll-out of Tasers for frontline police before the trial had concluded.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• taser
• tazer
• brisbane police
• queensland
• terry o'gorman
• civil liberties

[ozzsihing]

It is true that we have many people who behave badly in Queensland. It is also true that the standards for being a cop in Queensland have also dropped majorly, to the point that a large male p/officer can't handle an unruly child.

The only reason the cops need tasers (and they do) is that they are unskilled in basic hand-to-hand. It is a dis-service to the police and to the public.

Bluey O'Gorman would be cringing at what a bunch of un-skilled pussies the Queensland Police have become.

[joyce69er]

Just ask your self, if a 16 year old girl can be tasered when surrounded by big burly officers, what hope is there for the rest of the community? tasers were intoroduced in queensland as an alternative to firearms. I don't believe firearm use would have been justified in that case?

[WarInBed]

I love the fact that the teens can attack officers, act unruly, and then press charges against them when they get tazed. Far as I can see, they had it coming.

The problem isn't how old the person is, it's how they act. You want to act like an animal, get treated like one. Oh, and don't give me any of that "they're just children, the officers should know how to handle it" crap. Officers need to control a situation like this. Bet the rest of the morons stopped being idiots after this.

[Inconvenientruths]

'One of my fantasies would be on the wall of the O'Gorman Christmas Dinner table.

Could you imagine ol Blue on one corner and this thing in the other?

Talk about black and white, although people should not be crtical.

The O'Gormans must be proud though Bluey is a real credit to them and to society in general and they should not be judged on other family members irtrrespective of thier negitive impact on society!

[Loganwolfen]

@wearey1 tasers are lethal, to say such a statement you are either ignorant or dumb or both, many people have died due to being tasered, the facts are there for you to see, look them up.

[RedAvery1]

I dont have sympathy for these young people gettin jacked up... They be deservin it. You got one kid rapin a young ass lil girl you got another being forced to have sex by another young boy. If this was afganistan forget it.. I dont see sypathy for the afgan boy who got punished for stealin and had his hands ran over by the car...Where are the cries for that? Fuck this petty ass shit. Id rather get tazered then beat by my mom when i was a kid.

[dynotuner]

I was`led to believe that a taser is meant to be used as an alternative to the gun.If this is true , then does it mean the officer would have used a gun in this situation?

[OzClawhammer]

UncleRory, I wasn't condoning it. I was trying to make the point that there are worse than the cops around at that time of night that would do worse to a young girl attracting attention to herself.

[wearey1]

I'm sorry joyce69er, but Tasers were not introduced, and are never intended to be used as an alternative to firearms. Firearms are a lethal use of force, Tasers are not...so one cannot substitute the other.

The promotion of this idea by the media is misleading.

[jad01jad01]

I have never been tasered by police....but then, that might have something to do with the fact that I know how to behave in public.

How many old ladies get tasered on their way to bingo or church?.......none!

Always ones with a long criminal history and an entourage of do-gooders just as long.

[toadee74]

Good work fuzz! Keep the streets clean of skanky moles! With the compo she gets and the $5000 for having a kid to an uknown father she is set for life!