Use of Tasers on people with mental illness: A New Zealand database study

BackgroundIn 2006–2007 New Zealand police deployed the Taser X26 electro-muscular incapacitation device for a twelve month trial across four police districts. Criteria for use of the Taser included “individuals in various states of mental health crisis”.AimsTo provide a descriptive analysis of the use of Tasers by the New Zealand police; to identify those incidents that involved people in mental health emergencies; and to compare this use with that which occurred in incidents of criminal arrest.MethodDescriptive analysis of the police Tactical Operations Database.ResultsTasers were deployed on a total of 141 people in 124 events, and discharged 19 times. Of the 141 subjects, 30 (21%) involved people in mental health emergencies. Tasers were more than twice as likely to be discharged at mental health emergencies (8 of 30; 27%) than at criminal arrests (11 of 111; 10%) (X2 = 5.69; df = 1; p = 0.017). There were two incidents that involved a Taser being used as part of police response to in-patient mental health services and two incidents involving mental health community residential accommodation.ConclusionsIntroduction of Tasers into policing in New Zealand will disproportionately impact on people with mental illness. Guidelines are needed to manage the future use of Tasers in mental health emergencies.