Policeman will profit from Tasers

October 30, 2005
Ali Hussain and Gareth Walsh, The Sunday Times

THE American manufacturer of Taser, the controversial stun gun, gave the exclusive British distribution rights to a senior serving police officer who helped win Home Office approval for the weapon.

Inspector Peter Boatman had a 50% share in a company that sold Tasers at the same time as devising Britain’s first police training programme for the use of weapons.

Boatman was in charge of assessing the merits of Taser as head of operational training for Northamptonshire police and was regarded as an impartial expert on the weapon.

Since he left the force a little more than three years ago, his firm has provided 1,500 Tasers worth about £1m to 20 British police forces. It is the exclusive UK distributor for the US company, Taser International.

Disclosure of the apparent conflict of interest comes after Taser International, the US manufacturer, was accused of providing American police officers with share options potentially worth $1m.

The manufacturer is also being investigated over its safety claims. A Taser fires two barbed darts, felling a potential assailant with a 50,000 volt shock and causes the target’s muscles to go into uncontrollable spasm, allowing the police to capture him. The weapon, which costs up to £750, is intended to provide police with a “less lethal” option than a gun.

More than 100 deaths have been attributed to the use of Tasers in America.

Companies House records show that Boatman took a 50% stake in a start-up company, Pro-Tect Systems, in December 2000. He became a director of the firm on December 5 and resigned three weeks later, on December 27, but held on to his stake in the company.

In February 2001, Pro-Tect received the Taser contract for the UK. Within two months Boatman was acting as an adviser to the Home Office on whether to issue Tasers to British officers. He was “regarded as a national and international expert” on Tasers, Chris Fox, the former chief constable of Northamptonshire, said yesterday.

In December 2001, three months after the Home Office approved trial imports, Boatman publicly rebutted claims by Police Federation officers that Tasers could be dangerous. Boatman wrote “with sadness” to Police Review that “this technology is very effective — more than any other technique, device or equipment for establishing control over violent and dangerous subjects”.

He retired from the police on April 16, 2002. Two days later he was installed as chairman of Pro-Tect Systems. His fellow founding director and friend, Kevin Coles, had been running the firm in the meantime.

Despite the records at Companies House, Boatman insisted he had had no connection with Pro-Tect Systems before retiring from the police, and had “never been paid by Taser to do anything on their behalf”. Taser International said it was not aware that Boatman had a share in Pro-Tect Systems while still a serving police office Boatman put on a public demonstration of his confidence in the safety of Tasers by firing one at his wife, Stephanie, in a stunt staged in November 2004. He has said he believes the stun guns have never caused a fatality.

She fell to the ground screaming “like a pig” as her husband unleashed the full 50,000 volts into her back, Yet after the briefest of recovery times the 44-year-old mother got back to her feet. The Taser stun gun, it seemed, was crippling but safe.

The demonstration marked the culmination of a five-year campaign by Boatman to convince the British authorities that the Taser should be accepted as a standard piece of kit. The Home Office approved trials of the Taser in five police forces in April 2003 after it beat rivals in subduing violent offenders without killing them. It was cleared for national use in September 2004.

Last week senior officers said it should no longer be confined to the kind of threatening incidents where a normal firearm could be used.

Taser International, the manufacturer, last week reported a 38% annual drop in sales in the third quarter. It has been thrown on the defensive by court documents that detailed the share options it gave to police in American cities.Now the process by which the device won rapid acceptance in mainstream British policing has also come under scrutiny. Questions have been raised about the precise role played by Boatman.

Boatman, 52, who was entrusted by Northamptonshire police with researching “less lethal weapons”, first encountered Tasers at an exhibition held in Germany in 1999.

The following year, Boatman developed the first Taser training programme in Britain, which was adopted and further developed by Acpo. Boatman said he had advised Home Office scientists carrying out research into “less lethal” weapons.

Last week he confirmed that he played a key role in bringing Taser to the UK. “I was the one who initially looked at the Taser and indicated that I think (sic) it would be a workable option in the UK.” Asked directly whether he was being paid by Taser while he carried out police research into “less lethal” weaponry he replied: “Of course not. I wasn’t allowed to because I was a police officer . . . As a serving police officer that would have been unlawful, unethical and immoral.

“My driving force was I wanted to help introduce tactics and equipment into the UK to make both the police forces and the members of the public that they serve . . . safer.”

Confronted later with evidence that he held a 50% stake in the distribution firm while still a serving officer, he said: “Let me just say this and be very clear: I have no comment about anything you may wish to ask about. ” He declined to answer whether his stake had been declared to the Home Office, Acpo or his senior officers.

Last week the Home Office, Northamptonshire police and Fox — now president of Acpo — also declined to answer the question.

Steve Ward, a vice-president at Taser International, said he was unaware Boatman held the stake while a serving officer.

Other questions have emerged about the independence of the process that led the Home Office and police forces to endorse the stun guns.

Among research considered by the Home Office from police in other countries during trials was a report by Darren Laur, a Canadian officer. Laur and six other serving or former officers in north America are now accused of accepting valuable share options from Taser International.

Court documents released last month in Arizona — where Taser is based — contain a deposition by Tom Smith, the company’s president, that show that all seven served in cities that bought stun guns.

Taser says the officers were not in a position to influence any buying decisions. It also states that the options were granted after the orders were placed. The Home Office said it reached its decision on the basis of independent research.

Serious concerns are also emerging over the safety and reliability of the tests carried out on Taser devices, both in Britain and America. The Securities and Exchange Commission, the US financial watchdog, last month began a formal inquiry into Taser International’s safety claims.

The manufacturer says there is evidence for only one death as a direct result of Taser fire.

There are also concerns over the readiness of police to resort to using the weapons. In Britain an investigation is continuing after police fired a Taser at a man on a bus in Leeds who failed to answer a challenge six days after the July 7 London bombings. It was later alleged he failed to respond because he was in a diabetic coma.

Please click on the following link to see Steve Tuttle's response to my previous post.

Did Tasers Kill Raoul Moat? UK Taser Supplier Found Dead

Boss of supply firm for Raoul Moat shooting taser 'commits suicide' after losing licence

Hoping I might find a word or two of sympathy for the family of Mr. Boatman after this terrible tragedy, I instead stumbled upon the following message on TWITTER from Taser International's VP of Communications, Steve Tuttle, on the wonders of the XREP:

Great video on #TASER #XREP concerning Green Bay PD. Good summary of how it works: http://bit.ly/bwSuMp
9 minutes ago via web

http://twitter.com/SteveTASER
Name Stephen Tuttle
Location Scottsdale, AZ
Web http://www.TASER.com
Bio VP of Comms for TASER, chief spokesman, crisis mgr & risk mgmt.

***********************************************************************

October 1, 2010
By Andrew Hough, telegraph.co.uk

A former policeman, Peter Boatman, whose firm supplied the controversial long range tasers which were fired at gunman Raoul Moat has died in a suspected suicide.

The director of operations of the Pro-Tect Systems, which supplied four experimental X-12 tasers used during the police stand-off, was found dead on Friday morning.

It is understood he had killed himself. Police did not confirm how he died but said a taser was not involved.

The 57 year-old worked as an inspector for Northamptonshire Police before leaving the force in 2002 to become a 50 per cent partner in Pro-Tect Systems.

His company gained a lucrative Government contract making him the only legal supplier of tasers in Britain. His company sold more than 4,000 stun-guns to police and military forces.

But earlier this week, the Home Office revoked Pro-Tect's licence to import and sell Tasers after the firm breached its terms by supplying the tasers directly to police involved in the Moat manhunt.

Five police vans were seen attending the father-of-two's home in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.

Officers arrived at his house at lunchtime on Friday before cordoning off the area.

He is believed to have lived at the property with his wife Stephanie, also a director of Pro-Tect Systems, daughter Chloe, 30, and son Kiel. Police officers were said to be comforting his family at the large detached four-bedroomed home.

Four vehicles with personalised numberplates containing the letters TSR, short for taser, were outside the property.

Kevin Coles, the company's managing director, said he and his colleagues were "devastated" by the news.

"After recent events he wasn't the man he was. We're all just dreadfully sorry for (his wife) Steph and the family," he said.

A spokesman for the Daventry-based Pro-Tect Systems said Mr Boatman's death was "an incredibly sad loss".

The firm paid tribute to Mr Boatman who had showed "incredible passion in bringing a friendly and committed outlook to all he met".

"It is with great regret we announce the tragic death of our colleague and great friend Peter Boatman today," the spokesman said.

"At this point, it is inappropriate to comment on this terrible news apart from saying we are devastated and are sharing a state of severe shock and grief with Peter's family.

"Since Peter has been a part of out business he has shown incredible passion in bringing a friendly and committed outlook to all he met."

He added: "His death is an incredibly sad loss and we extend out deepest condolences and thoughts to his family and friends at this very difficult time.

"We share in Peter's family request for privacy so we can all come to terms with today's awful news and we hope you can respect this."

A neighbour Rob Fisher, 45, who works as a financial advisor, disclosed how hard Mr Boatman worked.

"It's a tragic thing. Running a business like he did can be very stressful. I feel for his family," he said.

"When I heard the news a couple of nights ago I thought 'how devastating' because he had been working so hard for his company.

"He always got up at 6am in the morning and came back home very late. Peter was very welcoming and introduced us to the neighbourhood."

He added: "Earlier this afternoon an ambulance turned up and police cars came screeching around the cul-de-sac blocking the entrance. It was obvious something tragic had happened."

Another neighbour, who refused to be named, added: "He was a wonderful person, who had a great sense of humour. He will be sorely missed."

A Northamptonshire Police spokeswoman said: "Officers were called to an address in Reynard Way, Kingsthorpe, at 1.09pm this afternoon, where the body of a 57-year-old man was discovered.

"We are not treating the death as suspicious and will be preparing a report for the coroner.

"The family do not wish to be contacted and members of the press are asked to respect their privacy."

Pro-Tect was facing possible action by Northamptonshire Police over the breach of the licence.

Speaking after the Home Office revoked the firm's licence on Tuesday, Superintendent Sean Bell, the force's head of operations, said: "We are now considering whether or not to take further action against Pro-Tect in connection with breaching the conditions of their licence."

Former police officer Mr Boatman was in charge of assessing the merits of Taser as head of operational training for the force.

Home Secretary Theresa May revoked the firm's licence to import and sell Tasers following an investigation into the use of the weapons at the end of one of Britain's biggest manhunts.

Pro-Tect breached its licence by supplying the X12 Tasers and XRep ammunition, which were still being tested by the Home Office, directly to two police forces, the Home Office said.

Armed police fired two Tasers at Moat in an "effort to stop him taking his own life" in the Riverside park area in Rothbury, Northumberland, in the early hours of July 10, an inquest at Newcastle Civic Centre was told.

The Tasers can deliver up to 20 seconds of electric shock in bullet-like capsules from a standard 12-gauge shotgun or a X12 Taser.

Mrs May revoked Pro-Tect's licence after inquiries revealed it supplied the Tasers, which should have only been supplied to the Home Office Science and Development Branch (HOSDB), directly to police.

The firm also breached the rules "governing the secure transport of the devices and ammunition", the Home Office said.

There was no suggestion any blame should be attached to the officers involved and the Home Office has stressed police could use any weapon they saw fit as long as its use was "lawful, reasonable and proportionate".

The stand-off with the steroid-addicted former nightclub doorman ended the seven-day manhunt which was triggered when Moat shot his former girlfriend, Samantha Stobbart, 22, killed her new boyfriend, Chris Brown, 29, and blinded Pc David Rathband, 42.

But the precise sequence of events regarding the discharge of the XRep Tasers in relation to Moat firing his sawn-off shotgun has not been established and is under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), the inquest into his death was told.

Steve Reynolds, of the IPCC, said: "The review of tactics will consider the deployment and use of the XRep Taser."

The Pro-Tect Systems spokesman said it could not comment while the IPCC investigation was going on.

Mr Boatman publicly denied claims that Tasers could be dangerous and showed his confidence of their safety by firing one at his wife, in November 2004.

She fell to the ground in agony as her husband shot the full 50,000 volts into her back but quickly recovered and stood back to her feet.

Taser company man 'kills himself'

October 1, 2010
BBC News

The director of operations of the firm which supplied the Tasers used during the stand-off with gunman Raoul Moat is understood to have killed himself.

Former police officer Peter Boatman, of the Daventry firm Pro-Tect, was found dead on Friday morning, his business partner said.

Earlier this week it emerged supplier Pro-Tect breached its licence by supplying X12 Tasers direct to police.

The Home Office confirmed the firm had had its licence revoked.

'Devastated'

Mr Boatman's business partner, Kevin Coles, told BBC News that Mr Boatman had been found dead.

He said he was "devastated" at the news.

He added that Mr Boatman was a "proud man" who had worked hard to protect the police and had felt "ashamed" at the recent developments.

He said the Home Office ban and the subsequent coverage had "destroyed" him.

Pro-Tect was accused of supplying a new Taser weapon to Northumbria Police during the Raoul Moat manhunt in breach of Home Office rules because the Taser had not been fully tested.

Mr Coles said Pete Boatman had only wanted to help police officers who were caught up in the hunt for Moat.

Northamptonshire Police, which was investigating the company, is preparing to issue a statement.

You're not properly licensed to use the malfunctioning, eye-scalding gun

"People aren't dying because of "excited delirium" as Taser International ridiculously claims. They're dying because their shitty guns cause people's hearts to explode."

September 30, 2010
Allison Kilkenny, Huffington Post

Raoul Moat, a 37-year-old man, was recently the target of a massive police manhunt in England after he shot three people with a sawn-off shotgun. After spending six days on the run, Moat was finally cornered by police. Hours of negotiations proceeded at the end of which Moat shot himself and later died at a hospital.

The salivating media followed every second of the tense pursuit with classy O.J.-style gusto. Journalist Johann Hari was particularly critical of the overzealous coverage, and especially how the media glorified Moat, describing him as having a "hulking physique," which of course is typical of a "notorious hard man." I dunno, ladies. Should we fear him or date him?

Details have now emerged that the police weren't properly licensed for the long-range X12 tasers they carried during the manhunt. At first, it seemed a minor detail in an extremely dramatic story, but now that some time has passed, reality is setting in. Police were carrying long-range tasers that haven't even been tested by scientists yet.

Well, what's the harm? An electrocuting gun is meant to electrocute. If it does that, great. If there's a little glitch, what's the worst that can happen?

*******************************
Taser shotgun firm shoots itself in foot

Paul Marks, chief technology correspondent

Controversy continues to dog a non-lethal weapon called the Taser shotgun.

The "X12" Taser shotgun is made by Taser International of Scottsdale, Arizona and fires a battery-packed 12-bore shell with forward-facing barbs that deliver a debilitating electric shock.
In August last year, New Scientist revealed research that showed an early version of the weapon was both difficult to aim accurately, putting victims' eyes at risk, and sometimes delivered a shock for more than five minutes, rather than 20 seconds.

Such issues were part of the reason that the Taser shotgun went into a programme of testingin the labs of the UK Home Office's Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB).

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Of course, none of this concerns people when the weapon is used against someone violent like Moat. The man was clearly mentally ill (he'd attempted to seek psychiatric help before the shootings,) but he was prone to eruptions of anger, and served time in jail for assaulting a nine-year-old relative. Hardly a man who inspires sympathy.

But it's interesting that police are using tasers that haven't even been cleared properly by scientists. It should concern people who aren't gun-wielding psychopaths, and may one day be at the receiving end of 50,000 volts of state sanctioned torture for something little like getting mouthy with a police officer over a speeding ticket, telling a bad joke, or daring to exercise their First Amendment rights.

Home Secretary Theresa May announced she has revoked Pro-Tect's licence to supply tasers to police forces for breaching the rules including the transportation of ammunition. That's a good thing, and a good demonstration of how the state is supposed to work. A private company breached proper dispensing protocol, so the state regulates their contracts. No proper testing, no business.

I'm curious as to how this would be handled in the states where deregulation and allowing companies to do whatever the hell they want is all the craze right now. Have all the tasers currently being carried by U.S. officers been properly tested?

Tasers, when they function perfectly, are brutal weapons of torture. It seems like every week there's a new horrifying story in the news about yet another innocent victim who has been killed or injured by tasers. So imagine if these weapons malfunction to the point where they blind victims and inflict excruciating pain for more than five minutes.

A recent study at the University of California found that deaths in-custody actually rise sharply - nearly six times - during the first year a department uses tasers. These things aren't the soft, friendly version of policing. They're torture devices that kill people, and are particularly dangerous for the mentally ill, and individuals with heart problems. And they're being marketed by companies that aren't even properly testing them.

Way back in the day, when U.S. companies designed deadly products called cigarettes, they were asked to appear before Congress to explain why they should be allowed to kill Americans for profit. It may be time to bring back that tradition. People aren't dying because of "excited delirium" as Taser International ridiculously claims. They're dying because their shitty guns cause people's hearts to explode.

U.K. stops import of Tasers after illegal use

September 29, 2010
QMI Agency

British police are in need of a new Taser supplier after an illegal shotgun version of the popular stun gun was used to try to subdue a gunman in July.

The British government revoked Pro-Tect's licence to import Tasers because the government alleges the company illegally supplied the X12 shotgun-style Taser to a local police force.

The X12 -- which fires a barbed battery that delivers a debilitating electric shock -- was only supposed to be supplied the U.K. Home Office for testing.

"Faced with these breaches, the Home secretary has decided to revoke Pro-Tect's licence to supply Tasers," a spokesperson for the U.K. Home Office said in a statement.

The controversy began after Raoul Moat shot and killed himself after a six-hour standoff with police, during which he had been shot twice with Taser stun guns.

"Enquiries following the Raoul Moat operation revealed Pro-Tect breached its licence by supplying X12 Tasers direct to police that were only available for supply to the Home Office Science and Development branch," the spokesperson said.

"The enquiries carried out by Northamptonshire Police also revealed the company breached rules governing the secure transport of the devices and ammunition."

The U.K. minister for crime prevention wrote a letter that says the government is working to find a new importer to "ensure that police forces continue to have adequate Taser stocks."

Arizona-based Taser International manufactures the stun guns.

Tasers: Police must not be allowed to rely on 'discretion' to use unapproved weapons

29 September 2010
Amnesty International UK

Amnesty International has expressed grave concern that the Taser XREP projectile and X12 shot gun were used without having gone through the official weapons testing and approval process. The organisation expressed its concern following the recent revelation that the weapons distribution company – Pro-Tect Systems – had issued the police these weapons without Home Office authorisation. Pro-Tect Systems has since had its licence suspended.

Amnesty International’s Arms Programme Director Oliver Sprague said: “No new weapon or equipment should used by the police until it has passed a rigorous and transparent safety, testing and approvals process. The Taser XREP is far more powerful than the traditional Taser with a considerably longer 20-second shock cycle. As a projectile fired from a shot gun, there are serious concerns over its accuracy and reliability as well as the risk of causing unnecessary injury.”

Results from a 2008 independent assessment funded by safety testing authorities in the UK, the USA and Canada have found the XREP projectile to be inaccurate with a high failure rate.

Amnesty is urging the Home Office to review its decision to enable Chief Constables to authorise the use of any weapon as long as its use is "lawful, reasonable and proportionate", apparently even if these weapons have not been thoroughly tested or approved for use. At a minimum Amnesty believes that this should include testing the efficacy of the weapon, medical safety testing and evidence that its use is compatible with proportionate and lawful use of force, in line with international human rights standards.

Oliver Sprague continued: “The UK has in place some of the world’s toughest approvals and testing processes for new police weapons. What is the point of having such a robust system if Chief Constables are, it seems, able to bypass rigorous testing and approvals and deploy any weapon they see fit? Any new police weapons should only be considered following a needs and risk assessment that identifies a recognised gap in their capability that cannot be overcome in any other way.”

International standards on police use of force and weaponry encourage the development of ‘less lethal’ weapons, but also stipulate that any such weaponry should be very carefully evaluated and controlled.

These same standards also set requirements on how and when police officers should carry weapons, including the circumstances in which they can be used and comprehensive training and accountability policies and procedures. The decision to allow discretion for Chief Constables to deploy XREP or any similar emerging technologies in absence of rigorous testing and approvals process, including clear procedures set in place for how and when they can be used, is a clear breach of these international standards

Oliver Sprague added: “A weapon like the XREP should not be in the UK police force’s arsenal until it has gone through all the necessary checks and is shown to be safe to use. If and when such approval is given, the XREP should be given only to specialist firearms officers and used when there in an imminent threat to life.”