Ministry submits proposal for police to use Tasers to minimize lethal force

Ministry submits proposal for police to use Tasers to minimize lethal force – Benn

Nov 17, 2021 News

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn

Kaieteur News – The Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, told Kaieteur News on Tuesday evening that a Bill proposed to Parliament for the use of Tasers is expected to be approved before year end.
However, the Minister stated that the Bill is currently awaiting parliamentary presentation and approval. He explained that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will be equipped with Tasers to minimize the use of lethal force, and to immobilize the threat of violence to police officers and others.
This has been a problem that the GPF faces when encountering these types of situations as in a video seen by this publication in which two policemen were confronted by a violent man as they attempted to make an arrest at Middle Road, Charlestown, Georgetown.
The ranks were then forced to engage in a violent battle with the hostile man in efforts to arrest him. During the encounter, as the man resisted arrest, the officers were physically assaulted, through being punched and tossed around as the man gained the upper hand.
In this case, the officers chose not to draw their pistols.
Furthermore, this caused a crowd of people to gather around the officers as they were being beaten by the man.