Tasing of citizens a last resort; ranks not allowed to misuse tasers

Jun 07, 2025 News

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– traffic chief assures

Kaieteur News – Tasing of citizens a last resort; ranks not allowed to misuse tasers- traffic chief assures

In light of newly enforced measures allowing police to use tasers on citizens who violently resist or refuse to cooperate with traffic officers, Traffic Chief, Mahendra Singh has clarified that tasing will be used only as a last resort and must not be applied frivolously by law enforcement.

The announcement comes amid growing incidents of violent altercations between traffic ranks and civilians, prompting the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to issue a statement on Monday via Radio Eve Leary.

“Traffic ranks are being faced with significant challenges in enforcing the laws of Guyana, especially since a significant number of citizens are bent on breaking the laws by committing traffic breaches and not cooperating with the policemen when caught,” the GPF stated.

According to the police, these confrontations often involve unarmed ranks being attacked by motorists, have increased across the country. In an effort to address the recent surge in violent resistance, Singh announced that traffic ranks will now be equipped with taser guns.

“The traffic chief says traffic ranks will now be issued with taser guns to protect themselves and to properly subdue offenders in the process of enforcing the laws and bringing them to justice,” the GPF’s statement read.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Friday, traffic chief Singh explained that the enforcement of taser use by police officers’ stems from the increasing perception that law enforcement appears weak in the eyes of the public.
“Law enforcement appears to be targeted. They appear to be weak in the face, and therefore the scope to do your work seems thereafter limited because the moral and spirit of those who are to enforce and/or give direction is broken,” Singh stated.

However, he was quick to emphasise that the new policy does not grant police officers free rein to use tasers on citizens who act violently without first attempting to de-escalate the situation.

“A taser is a last resort, similar to any other means of force being utilised by the police in Guyana to address anyone. So, this is where it goes. A taser will not be utilised against anyone unless it is absolutely necessary that every other means or methodology that the police would apply to deal with the situation, to de-escalate the situation, to address a suspect who is arrested and/or is in custody for traffic offenses all would have been exhausted and there’s no other means by which you can address it.”

As such, Singh sought to reassure the public that there is no need to fear being tased simply for interacting with traffic officers.

“There should be no fear. The public should never think that the police are now saying, ‘here, we will tase you,’ even if you do not commit yourself.

Committing yourself is just for offense purposes, the police deal with that every day. But the aspect of the taser where you can consider its usage, it is linked to the level of aggression. It is linked to the violent confrontation orchestrated by the police.”

He, however, also admitted that police officers themselves have, at times, contributed to the escalation of situations involving civilians.

“I am not going to speak with water in my mouth or say that the public is the only one responsible for the escalation of what occurs. You (police) are not there to now take this as a means by which each and every person you engage, the moment they question as to why you are there and what you are doing, and if there’s no offense commission, the police themselves are responsible for what? Pushing a situation, pushing an agenda, escalating something. It will be resolved. The police are responsible, accountable, and whatever they do it has to be in a transparent manner,” he said.

Singh firmly denied that the new taser policy is a means of granting police officer power over civilians. “This is not a case where the police are now empowered more and given powers beyond what is written in the law to now deal with things in an arbitrary manner. Never. No.”

What happens if someone is harmed or killed by a taser?

In light of public concerns about police brutality, including fatal shootings, Singh was asked by this publication what would happen if a taser causes serious harm or death. He responded that all uses of force will be judged by a legal framework known as the “use of force continuum.”

“It will only be on the basis of what is permissible by the use of force continuum. So tasers are catered for. It has to be and it is within the confines of the law. There’s a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which outlines the step-by-step SOP reference, training, its use and everything else. So, everything is tied back to something legitimate.”
He elaborated that tasers are used only when there are no other available means of control, and that accountability mechanisms are already in place.

“Everything is tied back to something legitimate. That is deployment or put into place for use is only catered for is a situation that cannot be dealt with by no other means. Guess what? Without other methodology and mechanism which improves our quality of service is the body-packed camera,” Singh explained.

To ensure transparency, Singh said that the justification for tasing a citizen must be backed by evidence from police-issued body cameras, in addition to CCTV footage when available.

“So, the bottom line now is here that the traffic man who’s there already what you require to justify the basis for use is an engagement. What records the engagement is that body-packed camera.”

He added, “So apart from the CCTV cameras deployed country-wide, and what private CCTVs mean we have to wait to get-you have a live feed now from a body-packed camera based on the engagement that led to the subsequent use of a taser. Whether it is justified or not justified, police action will also be deemed to be investigative just like every other person. So, to prove or disprove is our duty.”

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• Eve Leary, last resort, tasers, Traffic Chief, Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh

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