The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Thompson yesterday called on the government to invest in Tasers to minimise the use of deadly force by police officers.

However, Mr Thompson defended police officers needing to protect themselves if their lives are threatened. He said he would much rather “have a friend in the force who I have to get a lawyer for than to get an undertaker for”.

His statements come after police shot and killed a man on Sunday night after he allegedly pointed a gun at officers during a foot chase in the Chippingham area.

As it stands, police have shot seven suspects since August 13, five of whom have died. According to The Tribune’s records, there have been seven fatal police shootings this year.

Speaking with The Tribune yesterday, Mr Thompson said while the Royal Bahamas Police Force is doing a “remarkable job” in handling the various threats presented to them on a daily basis, equipping police officers with Tasers can provide an effective yet non-lethal alternative for subduing criminals attempting to put their lives in danger.

“One of the things I would like to see, is that the government invest in the Taser, where in some instances you don’t have to use deadly force, you can use the Taser,” he said. “For example the fellow in the shantytown who was fighting and got shot in his leg and died, that is a situation where probably a Taser could have been used.”

Mr Thompson was referring to Nixon Vixamar, who was shot and killed by police on August 14 while in the process of arresting him at his Gamble Heights home. Vixamar was wanted by police for several complaints of assault.

“A lot of (police) forces are using them,” Mr Thompson continued. “In the United States, England, Jamaica, Trinidad, they all get the Tasers. So you don’t always have to get in (gun) fights. You can put (the suspect) out for a while and put your handcuffs on. So that’s something I think they should invest in.”

However, Mr Thompson insisted that police officers “shoot to live, not to kill,” and said there is not much time to think when faced with death.

“You’re dealing with some bad people,” he said. “When you corner them with a gun or after a chase and they come out and start shooting at you, you can’t run and hide. You have your gun too. And you have to do something about them because they’re bad people.”

He added: “Police officers only have about three seconds to decide what to do. When the man turns with the gun and points it at you, or starts shooting at you, what are you going to do? There’s nothing else. If people could tell us what else could be done then it’s something you would consider. I hear people talk about shooting the gun out of the hand – you have to be a marksman to do that. Shooting in the leg doesn’t help because the fellow if he gets hit in the leg he could still shoot you. His hands are there. So that is why I say police shoot to live, not to kill.”

In light of the dangers police officers are faced with on a daily basis, Mr Thompson called on the government to compensate police officers in overtime pay and/or days off.

Recently, State Minister of National Security Keith Bell indicated that the government plans to appeal a Supreme Court ruling that it should pay overtime to police officers who worked a 12-hour shift in late 2013 or give them the equivalent time in days off.

“I believe the politicians should realise now the danger that police officers are in, and give them credit for the work they are doing, and either pay them overtime or give them the time back,” Mr Thompson said yesterday. “These men are out there doing a remarkable job. They are exposing themselves to all kinds of danger, and you don’t want to give them a little overtime pay or give them the time back?”