Amnesty International is extremely concerned by reports that a man who died last week following an incident in Brandon, Queensland, may have been shocked up to 28 times by police with a 50,000 volt stun gun.

“Amnesty International has ongoing concerns relating to the use of stun weapons and maintains that these devices are inherently open to abuse, as they are easy to carry, easy to use, and can inflict severe pain at the push of a button, without leaving substantial marks,” said Amnesty International spokesperson Katie Wood.

The Queensland Police Service’s own statement shows that the preliminary information obtained from the stun gun suggests the weapon “operated on 28 separate cycles during the course of this matter”. Queensland Police has launched an investigation into the incident. A coronial inquiry is also underway.

Amnesty International believes that if it is proven that the weapon was administered against the victim over the course of 28 separate cycles, this would constitute gross misuse and call into question the adequacy of training provided to the officer concerned.

In December 2008, Amnesty International released the report Less than lethal?: The use of stun weapons in US law enforcement, which cited the US Justice Department’s recommendations “that one standard cycle (a full five seconds) is often unnecessary to achieve compliance”. Amnesty International’s report recommends that officers should be trained to apply only one shock of five seconds or less.

In January 2009, Amnesty International distributed a copy of the report to all Police Ministers and Commissioners across Australia. In an accompanying letter, the organisation urged them to limit the use of the weapons to appropriately-trained officers, and to life threatening situations, or suspend the weapons until a thorough, impartial and independent investigation into the medical and other effects of the weapons is concluded.

Amnesty International welcomes news that as a result of information obtained in the investigation into the incident in Brandon, on 15 June 2009 Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts and Commissioner Bob Atkinson suspended the rollout of stun guns and ordered a Crime and Misconduct Commission review of policy and training relating to the use of the weapons.

The organisation strongly urges the NSW government to stop its plans to begin distributing stun weapons to all frontline officers from 1 July, 2009, and heed the NSW Ombudsman’s recommendations from December 2008, which included:

  • A further two year review of stun weapon use by an independent authority.
  • The review to be conducted prior to rolling out stun weapons to general duties officers.
  • Further education and training on the use of stun weapons.
  • The development of specific standard operating procedures relating to the use of stun weapons.

In April 2009 Amnesty International welcomed the announcement by Victoria Police Commissioner, Simon Overland, that Victoria Police will retain only limited use of stun guns, rather than distributing the weapons to all frontline officers.