Police union to strike over use of Tasers
The VSOA police union has registered an intention to strike in protest at the pilot project that sees Tasers issued to local police forces
‘No legal framework’
The federal home affairs office plans to issue Tasers to a limited number of police zones in Belgium in a test project, before being rolled out nationally, minister Jan Jambon announced recently. Tasers allow an officer to deliver an electric shock intended to disable someone resisting arrest. However, use of the weapons has led to fatalities.
“Since there is no legal framework, the individual officer alone is responsible,” a VSOA spokesperson said. According to the procedure proposed by Jambon’s ministry, three officers at the scene have to agree that the weapon should be deployed. “But there are never three of our people at the scene in practice,” the union said.
With the issue of the strike notice, Jambon is now obliged to call a meeting of the consultative committee. The socialist union ACOD, which is also represented on the committee, has already expressed support for VSOA’s position.
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