By Justin Heath
In Canada, the use of force by police, particularly incidents resulting in death, remains a critical topic of public debate and scrutiny. With growing calls for accountability and transparency, the introduction of less-lethal tools like Tasers (conducted energy weapons) was intended to reduce the reliance on firearms and, consequently, the number of fatal encounters. This article examines the trends in police use of force, focusing on officer-involved shootings that result in death, and explores whether the deployment of Tasers by major police departments has meaningfully reduced these incidents. Drawing on available data, we’ll look at yearly numbers before and after Tasers became widespread and assess their impact.
Police Use of Force and Fatal Shootings: A Brief Overview
Police in Canada are authorized to use force, including deadly force, under specific circumstances outlined in the Criminal Code, such as when they or others face imminent danger of death or serious injury. Firearms are the most common tool in fatal police encounters, though physical interventions, Tasers, and other weapons also contribute to deaths. The Tracking (In)Justice project, which compiles data on police-involved deaths involving force from 2000 onward, provides a key resource for understanding these trends. According to their findings, 704 such deaths occurred between 2000 and 2022, with shooting deaths being the predominant category, accounting for roughly 73% of cases.
Historically, Canada has seen a steady rise in police-involved deaths. CBC’s Deadly Force database, covering 2000 to 2017, documented 461 fatalities, with an upward trend even when adjusted for population growth. More recent data from Tracking (In)Justice shows this increase persisting, with 69 deaths in 2022 alone—the highest annual total in over two decades. These numbers highlight a growing challenge, prompting questions about tools and tactics meant to mitigate lethal outcomes.
Tasers in Canadian Policing: Introduction and Expectations
Tasers were introduced to Canadian police forces in the early 2000s as a less-lethal alternative to firearms, intended to subdue resistant or combative individuals without resorting to deadly force. By 2007, their use had expanded significantly, with the RCMP deploying 2,840 Tasers and training over 9,000 officers. Major municipal forces like the Toronto Police Service (TPS), Vancouver Police Department (VPD), and Calgary Police Service (CPS) also adopted them, often integrating them into their use-of-force continuum alongside batons and pepper spray. The expectation was that Tasers would reduce officer-involved shootings by providing a safer means of control, potentially lowering both civilian and officer injuries.
Yearly Numbers Before and After Taser Deployment
Pinpointing exact “before and after” numbers is challenging due to inconsistent historical data collection and variations in Taser adoption timelines across departments. However, we can approximate trends using available sources like CBC’s Deadly Force database, Tracking (In)Justice, and specific police service reports.
Pre-Taser Era (2000–2005): Before widespread Taser use, officer-involved shootings were less systematically tracked, but data suggests a lower baseline. The CBC database indicates an average of about 20–25 deaths per year from 2000 to 2005, with firearms involved in 71% of cases (approximately 14–18 shooting deaths annually). For example, Winnipeg had one shooting in 2003 and none in 2004, while Calgary reported one in 2003. Toronto’s numbers were higher due to its size, but specific pre-Taser shooting deaths are less granular in early records.
Early Taser Adoption (2006–2010): As Tasers rolled out, shooting deaths didn’t immediately decline. Winnipeg, which began using Tasers in September 2006, had two shootings that year, alongside 37 Taser deployments. Nationally, the CBC data shows deaths rising from 25 in 2006 to 27 in 2007, with shooting deaths holding steady at around 18–20 annually. Tracking (In)Justice notes 33 deaths in 2010, suggesting no clear reduction in fatal shootings despite Taser availability.
Post-Taser Era (2011–2022): With Tasers fully integrated, the trend of increasing deaths continued. The CBC database ends in 2017 with 38 deaths (27 from shootings), while Tracking (In)Justice records 36 deaths in 2020 (26 shootings), 37 in 2021 (23 shootings), and 44 in 2022 (32 shootings). CityNews reported 70 people shot at in 2021 (37 killed) and 88 in 2022 (44 killed), reflecting a near 25% increase in shootings. Major departments like TPS (65 deaths from 2000–2022, mostly shootings) and VPD (6 shootings in 2022 alone) saw no consistent drop post-Taser.
Did Tasers Reduce Fatal Shootings?
The data suggests Tasers have not significantly reduced the number of times officers shoot and kill suspects. Several factors explain this:
Tasers as a Parallel Tool: Experts like Constable Adam Cheadle of Winnipeg Police have noted that Tasers were never meant to replace firearms but to complement other intermediate options like batons or pepper spray. A 2007 CBC analysis found no evidence that Tasers reduced shootings in cities like Calgary, where shootings remained sporadic (none in 2007 despite 133 Taser deployments in 2008).
Rising Encounters and Context: The increase in fatal shootings correlates with broader trends—more police-civilian interactions, mental health crises, and armed suspects. Tracking (In)Justice highlights that 62% of 2022 shooting victims had firearms, limiting Taser applicability in high-threat scenarios.
Usage Patterns: Tasers are often deployed in lower-risk situations, not as a substitute in deadly force encounters. In Toronto, only one of 65 deaths from 2000–2022 resulted in a conviction (the 2013 Sammy Yatim shooting), indicating firearms remain the go-to in critical incidents.
Research Findings: A 2018 University of Chicago study (albeit U.S.-focused) found no evidence that Tasers reduced firearm use, a conclusion echoed in Canadian contexts by criminologists like Temitope Oriola, who point to inadequate training and over-reliance on force as persistent issues.
Impact on Injuries and Broader Implications
While Tasers haven’t curbed fatal shootings, they’ve had some success in reducing injuries in non-lethal encounters. A 2008 Calgary Police study found Taser use resulted in fewer injuries than batons or hands-on tactics, and the RCMP has claimed a 76% drop in officer injuries in agencies using Tasers (per a 2009 U.S. report). However, Taser-related deaths—18 in Canada by 2007, per CBC—raise concerns about their safety, particularly for vulnerable populations like those with mental health issues or substance use problems, who dominate these encounters (over 70% per CBC data).
Conclusion
The introduction of Tasers to major Canadian police departments has not demonstrably lessened the number of officer-involved shootings resulting in death. Yearly numbers show a persistent rise—from 20–25 deaths annually in the early 2000s to 44 in 2022—driven by factors beyond Taser availability. While Tasers offer a less-lethal option that can reduce injuries in specific scenarios, they’ve failed to shift the reliance on firearms in life-threatening situations. This reality challenges the narrative that technology alone can address systemic issues in police use of force. Moving forward, reducing fatal encounters may require not just tools but enhanced training, de-escalation strategies, and community resources—addressing the root causes rather than the symptoms of these tragic incidents.
Justin Heath is a freelance writer for Veritas Expositae
You can reach him at justin.heath@veritasexpositae.com
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