Province approves use of Taser 7
By Province of British Columbia
The Province has approved the use of Taser 7 as an intermediate weapon for all police agencies in British Columbia.
The approval process for Taser 7 included convening a multi-disciplinary panel to provide advice to the director of Police Services with consideration of a range of expertise and perspectives.
The panel had representatives from various organizations, such as the Independent Investigations Office, Alliance of BC Modern Treaty Nations, LabTest Certification (conducted energy weapon [CEW] testing contractor/laboratory), British Columbia Schizophrenia Society, Victoria Police Department, RCMP “E” Division and Vancouver Police Department.
After thorough review of the Taser 7’s functionality and safety considerations, the panel unanimously recommended a field trial of the CEW, which was then authorized by the director of Police Services.
The field trial ran from April 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023, and consisted of participating officers from the RCMP “E” Division, and officers from the Vancouver, Victoria and Port Moody police departments. The results of the field trial found the Taser 7 was effective, and no serious injuries or deaths among subjects, officers or bystanders were reported.
At the conclusion of the field trial and based on the results, the minister of public safety and solicitor general approved amendments to the standards on CEWs. The panel has recommended several conditions to ensure that all police agencies in B.C. update their CEW training programs and adjust their CEW internal policies and procedures to align with provincial standards on CEWs.
The Taser 7 is now authorized for use in B.C., and has been in use in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The Taser 7 has key features and enhancements, such as:
- the ability to discharge a second shot without reloading a new cartridge in the event of a failed first shot;
- an additional short-distance shooting range option;
- dual lasers;
- providing a warning signal to someone, alerting them before the taser is discharged; and
- improved data collection and upload mechanisms, saving officers time when uploading evidence and reducing testing costs to police agencies.
B.C. amended the Police Act in 2012 to develop police standards on CEWs and set out a process for provincial approval of intermediate weapons or restraint devices in keeping with the recommendations of the Braidwood Commission.
