'Use of force' reports up since Sudbury police officers started wearing Tasers

A new report is shedding some light on the use of Tasers by Sudbury's police service.

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Conductive Energy Weapons (CEW) commonly known by the brand name Taseronly used to be worn by tactical unit officers and a few others with the Greater Sudbury Police Service.

But now, all front line officers are trained to use one and they allgo out with one clipped to their belt.

According that new report, "use of force" reports in the service have since gone up by more than 40 per cent 90 such reports were submitted in 2014 compared with 129 in 2015.

Deputy Police Chief Al Lekun said theuse of force reports are up because more officers arecarrying and using aTaser.

"What we're finding is because every officer on the road has this tool available to them, when they get involved in scenarios or situations, it's readily available and they'll utilize it because it's an effective tool to de-escalate," he said.

"Our officers would rather utilize the CEW because what it does is incapacitates the individual temporarily, [and] allows us to move in and control them," he continued.

"IfI have to hit someone with a baton, that impact is going to have a lasting effect on the individual."

Lekun pointedout that use of force reports must be submitted even if an officer threatens a person with a Taser and noted that in 2015, 72 per cent of the timethat wasenough to get a person under control.

Even so,he said officers used a Taser of13 people in Greater Sudburylast year.

Lekun saiduse of other devices, like pepper spray, batons or handguns, has not gone down with the introduction of Tasers, though he said they'reused "seldomly."

In a separate report, complaints about Sudbury police using excessive force climbed from 1 in 2014 to 6 in 2015.

Lekunsaidthose complaints are "unsubstantiated" and said thenumbers aren't related to the use of force report.