“I am really worried that one of the largest cities in France is equipping its municipal police officers with taser X26. One wonders what Nice will be like in 2050, but where are we headed?” exclaims Fabrice Ferrier, president of the RAIDH association (Network of Alert and Intervention for Human Rights). Classified as a category 4 weapon, the electric charge gun is the intermediate weapon between the baton and the firearm.
Pierre-Marie Bourniquel, departmental director of public security, reassures: “municipal police officers need to be well-trained because it is not an insignificant object”. A two-day training will be required for each future user. They will receive a taser shot to better understand the sensation experienced when an individual is hit by this weapon. Furthermore, the gun is equipped with a “tasercam”, a camera that turns on as soon as the taser is activated. “Every shot will be filmed, allowing us to see the conditions of its use and prevent abuse,” continues Pierre-Marie Bourniquel.
“People scream, have convulsions, roll on the ground”
“The first freedom is security, and I want to guarantee it,” announced the deputy mayor, Christian Estrosi. He also added that “the Liserons district brigade will be prioritized for taser possession”. Thus, as soon as the implementation decrees are published and procurement procedures allow, the municipal police officers will be equipped. Likely at the beginning of 2009.
But these arguments do not convince Fabrice Ferrier: “people scream, have convulsions, roll on the ground. Its use is cruel, inhumane”. For him, the weapon would be more “effective” in the GIGN services (National Gendarmerie Intervention Group) during hostage situations or anti-terrorist actions, than used on ordinary citizens.
In a letter sent to the mayor of Nice, Sébastien Pillet, an informed resident warned against the dangers of the taser. The heart and lungs are also affected, which can lead to heart attacks or asphyxiation in some people, even those without risk factors. Moreover, several studies have shown that the risks are higher in individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Sébastien Pillet has decided to act against the implementation of tasers in Nice by launching a petition, which residents of Nice are starting to support: www.petitiontaser.canalblog.com
