Tasers issued to 10 percent of New York cops

NEW YORK (AFP) — Beginning Wednesday about 10 percent of New York police officers will be packing new Tasers in their holsters -- stun guns which human rights groups warn are linked to hundreds of deaths.
Versions of the controversial electric weapon have been used by the New York Police Department (NYPD) since 1984 but policy required storing them in police cruisers because of their cumbersome size.
A new, lighter "M-26" model about the size of a handgun will be added to the belts of 3,050 sergeants, allowing law and order personnel to avoid when possible the use of traditional firearms, according to city Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
"While smaller departments have opted to equip all of their patrol officers with them, we have been more cautious before authorizing up to 30,000 officers on patrol to have them," Kelly told reporters Monday.
"For the moment, we feel it is best to restrict them to supervisors who are required to respond to incidents involving emotionally disturbed persons," Kelly added.
The Taser packs a 50,000-volt punch that can paralyze targets from up to 10 yards (meters) away. A United Nations committee ruled in November that its use constitutes "a form of torture" which can result in death.
The UN criticism followed a string of deaths in the United States and Canada that occurred after police used Tasers to subdue people, including a Polish man who was filmed dying after being stunned at Vancouver airport.
Amnesty International says around 300 people have died around the world after being zapped with a Taser and has called for the weapon's use to be suspended while a full investigation is conducted.