TASER DEPLOYED DURING INCIDENT IN DROMORE
POLICE have deployed a Taser 'stun-gun' for what's believed to be the first time in Dromore after an incident involving an armed man in the Lurgan Road area.
The episode unfolded on Tuesday night, July 20, after police were alerted to an incident in the vicinity of Holm Terrace.
On July 22 a 36 year-old man appeared at Newry Magistrate's Court charged with resisting police, three counts of making threats to kill, assault on police and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
The initial incident was reported to police at around 9.56pm on the Tuesday night.
One local man returning to Dromore at the time told of being diverted off the Lurgan Road to emerge at Ballynaris Hill, where there was a heavy police presence and outbound drivers were also being diverted, effectively isolating the intervening stretch of Lurgan Road.
There have since been reports that gunfire was heard, but these are unconfirmed; the nature of the weapon with which the man involved in the incident was armed has not been revealed.
Police did confirm that in the course of arresting a 36 year-old man a Taser - a weapon which employs a high-voltage electrical discharge - was used.
A spokesman said, "A taser was deployed by a fully-trained police officer during the course of the arrest. The office of the Police Ombudsman has been informed."
The Ombudsman's office is automatically informed of any incident in which a Taser is discharged.
The issue and use of the weapon is steeped in controversy, as lately seen when Northumbria police deployed a 'shotgun' variant against 37 year-old Raoul Moat, who shot three people, prompting a manhunt which ended when he reportedly shot himself.
In Northern Ireland specialist PSNI units were armed with Tasers in January 2008. The weapon was first used in August that year to subdue a father who had locked himself and his two children into a house in Londonderry and in January, 2009, a Taser was used to to disarm a suspected hijacker in Co. Antrim
Statistics show that from July 4, 2008 to April 11, 2009 PSNI officers 'used' tasers 47 times, though 'use' takes in a number of definitions including drawing the device in circumstances were any person perceives the action to be a use of force or a threat of use of force.
From August 16, 2008 to April 11, 2009, tasers were 'discharged' in Northern Ireland eight times.
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Weather for Dromore
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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