Tasers

A high failure rate has led to police being armed with new Taser cartridges, with longer prongs that can better penetrate thicker clothing.

A study from the University of Auckland has shown a clear disparity in the use of tasers against mental health patients, but police say they respond to the level of threat of danger, not what is behind the threat, and that will not change.

Dunedin police used a Taser to subdue a 27-year-old Dunedin man last night after pepper-spray was ineffective.

Police Minister Judith Collins has defended the use of Tasers and said they had already saved lives since being introduced.

Last weekend Tasers, otherwise known as as "stun guns", made their debut in the South Island.

Taser stun guns have only been available to Southern district frontline police officers for a week but have already been used twice in two days.

Southern district police will now have another tactical option in their toolbox as the roll-out of Tasers across the country comes to Southland and Otago.

Canterbury is the latest police region to be issued with Tasers as part of a nationwide rollout of the stun guns.

Frontline police in the Southern district will soon be using Tasers, with more than 250 officers expected to be trained to use the stun-guns.