VIDEO: https://youtu.be/RdtjvwZpHM0

CASE STUDY OVERVIEW:

On October 14th, 2007, Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski was killed by RCMP officers at the Vancouver International Airport, drawing international attention to the issue of police use of force and the use of Tasers as a non-lethal force option. Dziekanski, who could not speak English, became visibly distressed shortly after leaving the airport customs area. He propped open a door with a chair and threw furniture around while pacing the room. Several RCMP officers arrived asking Dziekanski to put his hands on the counter. When Dziekanski picked up a stapler he was tasered four to five times and then tasered several more times after falling to the ground convulsing. Dziekanski was tasered within 25 to 30 seconds of the arrival of the RCMP officers. The entire incident was caught on video by Paul Pritchard and uploaded to YouTube where the RCMP officers' actions drew widespread criticism and outrage. The B.C. provincial inquiry launched a public inquiry into Dziekanski's death, which was administered by retired judge Thomas Braidwood. TheBraidwood Inquiry would eventually conclude that the RCMP officers failed to make any real effort to de-escalate the situation and that there was no justification in tasering Dziekanski. In addition, the final report pointed to conflicting reports offered by the officers involved. Two RCMP officers - Monty Robinson and Kwesi Millington - were later convicted of perjury (The Braidwood Commission on Conducted Energy Weapon Use, June 2009; CBC News, June 22 2015; The Globe and Mail, Oct 26, 2007).

Question: One of the conclusions of the Braidwood Inquiry was that the attending RCMP officers made no real effort to de-escalate tensions with Robert Dziekanski.

PLEASE ANSWER THESE IN DETAIL:

1. What factors do you think influenced the RCMP decision to employ the Taser so quickly into their encounter with Dziekanski?
2. Based on the Ontario Use of Force model reviewed in this lesson, what factors should the RCMP officers considered? What other use of force options could have been considered?
3. Where do you think the Taser should fall on a use of force options model?