Tasers as De-Escalation Tools

Gardaí have drawn tasers 15 times since December in a pilot program designed to de-escalate volatile situations — not to discharge them. In three cases, the devices were fired; five times they were drawn and armed; seven times they were simply pointed at suspects, often calming them down without force. Launched in Dublin and Waterford, the program has proven effective as a non-lethal tool, helping officers avoid batons or worse, with one instance leading to a peaceful arrest after the suspect saw the taser. Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary says success is measured by avoiding harm, not discharge rates. The program will expand to Limerick for another six months to gather more data, with all three discharges referred to the ombudsman. Officers welcome the added safety, and the results will help decide if tasers should become standard issue nationwide. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/5f2a7c48d34571d5