Buenos Aires government is pushing for Tasers, but Casa Rosada would only approve their use in special security groups

Amid the controversy that sparked the murder of a Buenos Aires city police officer at Retiro station – by a man who took the gun from him and started shooting amid an argument with an employee of the metro – the Minister of Security, Hannibal Fernandezsupported the use of Tasers but under certain conditions.

“I have a supposed position that yes, but only for special groups such as GEOP and G1 of the Federal Police and, possibly, with Albatros and Alacranes in the Prefecture and the Gendarmerie”Fernández pointed out during an interview in Radio 10.

In justifying the reasons, he clarified that on many occasions, whenever troops raid or enter a location, they are met with confrontation: “In these cases, what they should do is is pull out their gun, and most likely that face to face with a Taser they can try to stop the situation without having to take a person’s life”.

These statements come after the Minister of Security of Buenos Aires, Marcelo D’Alessandrodemanded that the national government take a decision in this regard after the crime of officer Maribel Salazar.

You may be interested: Who was Maribel Zalazar, the policeman who was murdered in the Retiro metro station

“How many dramas are we going to have to regret because of this ridiculous whim? How far will this irresponsibility go to want to fuck up the life of Buenos Aires because they do not vote for the jets? What are they going to invent now?”, tweeted the head of Buenos Aires. And I add: “Non-lethal weapons are a key tool in caring for people, most countries in the world use them. Political pettiness cannot be more important than people’s lives.”

In this regard, Fernández said that “alternatives must be found” to prevent these situations, but ruled out that Tasers are used by both city and Buenos Aires police. “I’m not hiding from the subject. We do the paperwork to buy new guns but only for special groups“, he insisted.

This morning, another of those who spoke on this subject was the chief of staff of Buenos Aires, Philip Michel, who expressed his anger at the president for delaying the importation and use of these guns.

In this regard, the Minister of Security clarified: “When Alberto’s government entered, it changed a protocol and these weapons purchased in good time are held by ANMAT. An alternative must be found to define how it should be used because special groups with a Taser can put a person in a box without hurting them”.

In this context, Miguel recalled that “the national government has appealed a sentence that forced it to decide in 30 days on the use of Tasers” and that “for two years” the government of Buenos Aires “claims importance and the government systematically appeals”.

“When you read the appeal arguments, they’re a mockery, a disgrace. They refer to the pandemic, to the fact that we’re still in a pandemic and we don’t have face-to-face resources. This largely reflects the philosophy of Kirchnerism in terms of security. This is an attack on the police in favor of the criminals, as it was about freeing criminals in the event of a pandemic, ”said the chief of staff of the city in an interview with Radio Rivadavia.

Continue reading: