The Saskatchewan Police Commission has approved the use of tasers by municipal police “in appropriate situations”.
The commission says the approval includes strict controls and accountability requirements, including a post-use review each time a taser is deployed.
The decision authorizes the use of tasers “in situations where there is imminent high risk of bodily harm to officers or the public and other use of force options would be ineffective or inappropriate”.
An individual police officer must be trained and certified in the use of a taser before being allowed to carry one.
As well, officers are required to keep their certification current through regular refresher training.
The approval comes after a review and consultation process that dates back to 2007.
The commission says it received policy input from several stakeholder organizations – including those representing First Nations and Métis peoples.