Ontario expands police Taser use after Sammy Yatim shooting
Ontario’s governing Liberals will allow police to expand the use of Tasers in the wake of last month’s fatal shooting of teenager Sammy Yatim aboard a Toronto streetcar.
Why James Forcillo was charged with murder in Yatim shooting.
7 unanswered questions about the Toronto streetcar shooting.
6 things police are taught about use of force.
Ontario Community Safety Minister Madeleine Meilleur made the announcement Tuesday, exactly one month after Yatim, 18, was shot multiple times and stunned with a Taser by police during a confrontation on an empty streetcar.
Meilleur said existing rules that limit the use of Tasers, also known as stun guns or conductive energy weapons (CEWs), will be changed to clear the way for individual police forces to set their own guidelines about which officers can use them.
Prior to Tuesday's announcement, Ontario had restricted the use of Tasers to a select few supervising and tactical officers, setting Ontario police apart from counterparts in several other provinces and with the RCMP.
Police chiefs have been advocating for the expanded use of Tasers for years.
Meilleur said the move will widen the use-of-force options available to police.
“This is the right decision to make and will increase community safety by preventing injury and death,” she said.
She also said the decision to expand stun gun use is based on research, stakeholder input and past inquests by coroners, and added that the province will keep a "watchful eye" on how stun guns are used by police.
Meilleur said the Yatim shooting did not play a role in Tuesday's decision, saying it had been in the works for some time.
She also said each time a police officer uses a stun gun, it will be recorded and reviewed.
Toronto police Const. James Forcillo has been charged with second-degree murder in Yatim's death.
Ontario's ombudsman has launched his own probe into the Yatim shooting, to determine the kind of direction the provincial government provides to police for defusing conflict situations.
Retired justice Dennis O'Connor has been asked by Toronto police Chief Bill Blair to lead a separate review of police procedures, use of force and police response when dealing with emotionally disturbed people.
