FabSwingers.com forum: You couldnt make this up!

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

A police force has apologised after an officer used a Taser on a blind man whose white stick was mistaken for a sword.

Colin Farmer, 61, was stunned by police following reports of a man walking through Chorley with a samurai sword.

Ch Supt Stuart Williams, of Lancashire Police, said the force had "deep regrets" and had "clearly put this man through a traumatic experience".

Mr Farmer was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged.

"It felt like I was grabbing an electricity pylon," he said.

Mr Farmer, who has suffered two strokes, said he thought he was being attacked by thugs.

He was walking to a pub to meet friends on Friday when the officer fired the Taser. It forced him to drop his stick and he fell to the ground, he said.

He said the experience had left him "shaking like a leaf" and scared to go outside.

The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said the incident was being investigated and the officer's Taser had been withdrawn.

'Extremely sorry'

Mr Williams said police had "received a number of reports that a man was walking through Chorley armed with a samurai sword".

Continue reading the main story

“

Start Quote

We have launched an urgent investigation to understand what lessons can be learned”

End Quote

Ch Supt Stuart Williams

Lancashire Police

"A description of the offender was circulated to officers and patrols were sent to look for the man," he said.

"One of the officers who arrived in Chorley believed he had located the offender.

"Despite asking the man to stop, he failed to do so and the officer discharged his Taser."

Mr Williams said it "became apparent that this man was not the person we were looking for and officers attended to him straight away", taking him to Chorley Hospital.

He added that the force "deeply regrets what has happened".

"We have clearly put this man through a traumatic experience and we are extremely sorry for that," he said.

"We have launched an urgent investigation to understand what lessons can be learned."

A man carrying a samurai sword was later arrested on suspicion of being d*unk and disorderly.

Source BBC website

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

I wonder what the would have done to him if the thought he was carrying a light sabre!

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By *pl- capdagdeCouple
over a year ago

Cap d agde,France

Incompitent cunts, they should all be sacked !

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

And people seriously think the police should be armed. Shocking.

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By *yrdwomanWoman
over a year ago

Putting the 'cum' in Eboracum

Obviously I wasn't there and haven't really read much about this, but didn't the police officer think to warn the poor guy before he zapped him? I thought they had to shout several warnings before shooting.

Poor guy. he must have wondered what the fuck was going on!

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By *yrdwomanWoman
over a year ago

Putting the 'cum' in Eboracum

"Shocking."

Groan!

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By *pl- capdagdeCouple
over a year ago

Cap d agde,France

Would it have been to simple to approach the guy first, to maybe confirm he was carry the said weapon ?

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Shocking.

Groan!"

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By *picenicelyCouple
over a year ago

third star on the right

The police officer apparently told the man to stop, the man say he heard shouting but thought he was about to be attacked by a gang of thugs. Once the man was on the ground, presumably next to the white stick or 'samurai sword' he was handcuffed and arrested.

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By *oodmessMan
over a year ago

yumsville

Youd think the cuts to poilicing would have kept officers capable of their job and axed those who were plainly incompetent

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By *B9 QueenWoman
over a year ago

Over the rainbow, under the bridge

Did the police have white sticks too?

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By (user no longer on site)
Forum Mod
over a year ago

I read about this earlier

The poor guy!

Has had a stroke in the past,is blind and walks at a snails pace with a stick

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By *iss_tressWoman
over a year ago

London

If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying!

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By *uriouskinky2Couple
over a year ago

wrexham

"Did the police have white sticks too?"

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Regrettable but clearly funny as fuck!

The blind guy obviously wouldn't know it was him being addressed or why he was being shouted at, and the copper just thought he matched the description and wasn't listening to his commands.

Feel bad for them both but still funny.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

[Removed by poster at 17/10/12 17:56:25]

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

come on own up....who laughed when they heard about it

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By *ypnoprincessCouple
over a year ago

liverpool

"Did the police have white sticks too?

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By *iss_tressWoman
over a year ago

London

"come on own up....who laughed when they heard about it "

Not me.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

""A man carrying a samurai sword was later arrested on suspicion of being d*unk and disorderly...."

Source BBC website"

Bet they didn't Taser HIM!!!!!!

Incompetant arseholes...... LIke someone else posted - and people are actually suggesting they should be routinely armed...? Jeeeeeeeeez!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Sounds like an eager young copper trying his kit out.

Maybe the coppers should use him for tazer practice for a few weeks while he wears a blindfold.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying! "

and why is that ????????

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Anyone ever been hit by one of those things??? They hurt like holy fuck

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By *iewMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Angus & Findhorn

poor man x wish him the very best

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Easy to condemn.... taking all into account how would you have reacted having been sent out after calls reporting this particularly following the recent killing of 2 police officers? Hindsight....such a fabulous thing, sadly only available after the event... uniforms do not come with magic powers and like them or loathe them, police officers are human and make mistakes. It is unfortunate and Im sure the victim is totally distressed and I wish him a full recovery.

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By *uriouskinky2Couple
over a year ago

wrexham

Maybe is was a mixture of red mist and the brain seeing what it wanted to see?

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Did the police have white sticks too?"

If they did, they would have probably beaten the poor sod with them!

Hope he makes a full recovery. He has said he is scared of going out now, must have been a terrifying experience

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I know the tories seem to be at war with the less able bodied...cutting there benefits....but now there getting the police force to try and kill them...can cameron sink any lower..

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By *B9 QueenWoman
over a year ago

Over the rainbow, under the bridge

"I know the tories seem to be at war with the less able bodied...cutting there benefits....but now there getting the police force to try and kill them...can cameron sink any lower.."

Only if he changes his name to Margaret Thatcher.

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By *amslam1000Man
over a year ago

willenhall

"come on own up....who laughed when they heard about it

Not me.

nor me

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Some people want these pricks to carry guns. I wouldn't let them carry my shopping

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

To the 'the police are all incompetent' brigade.

You are condemning them on a series of events that took place which you did not see and you are hearing a second hand account of. Yes the officer involved will have been relieved of his taser after this as it's so embarrassing, and he'll either not get it back or have to requalify.

I seriously doubt the officer involved woke up that morning and thought "I'll go out today and taser a disabled guy. That'll be a good career move'

A series of events took place that led up to what happened. As I said earlier the officer thought he had the man, who wasn't obeying his commands. The blind guy was unaware he was being shouted at or why.

A case of doing right no one remembers, doing wrong no one forgets.

My first thought was to feel bad for them both. But then found it funny yes.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying!

and why is that ????????"

Because black people are so hard done by??

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By *B9 QueenWoman
over a year ago

Over the rainbow, under the bridge

"To the 'the police are all incompetent' brigade.

I seriously doubt the officer involved woke up that morning and thought "I'll go out today and taser a disabled guy. That'll be a good career move'

A case of doing right no one remembers, doing wrong no one forgets.

My first thought was to feel bad for them both. But then found it funny yes.

My first thought was 'Old guy with white stick v mad man with samurai. Funny how often those two get mixed up.'

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"To the 'the police are all incompetent' brigade.

I seriously doubt the officer involved woke up that morning and thought "I'll go out today and taser a disabled guy. That'll be a good career move'

A case of doing right no one remembers, doing wrong no one forgets.

My first thought was to feel bad for them both. But then found it funny yes.

My first thought was 'Old guy with white stick v mad man with samurai. Funny how often those two get mixed up.'

Easy mistake to make even after years of police training!

Maybe the copper had been watching old episodes of Kung Fu and saw what Grasshopper could do with his white stick???

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

So you're suggesting that the copper had a crystal clear _iew of the guy, recognised it as a white stick but went ahead and tasered him anyway? Do you seriously believe that our police are all morons who'd do something like that for kicks? Or have you been done for speeding one too many times and are now that bitter towards them?

No, more likely that a series of events occurred over a period of time that have not been reported at all, which led to the scenario I suggested in my last post.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying! "

If he'd have been black then surely he wouldn't have fitted the description of the offender in this case ?

(Why do I now feel like my screen is gonna go WAAAGH, WAAAGH, WAAAGH like it does on QI when someone makes an obvious (but wrong) response)

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By *orkieMan
over a year ago

Who knows

"If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying!

If he'd have been black then surely he wouldn't have fitted the description of the offender in this case ?

(Why do I now feel like my screen is gonna go WAAAGH, WAAAGH, WAAAGH like it does on QI when someone makes an obvious (but wrong) response)

Yeh but he would have been used to get the monthly quota up

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying!

If he'd have been black then surely he wouldn't have fitted the description of the offender in this case ?

(Why do I now feel like my screen is gonna go WAAAGH, WAAAGH, WAAAGH like it does on QI when someone makes an obvious (but wrong) response)

Yeh but he would have been used to get the monthly quota up"

It's Chorley, not Los Angeles

I'm surprised they actually had tasers.

Nothing happens there.

They only get called out once in a blue moon - and that's when there's a disrespectful single male taking it too far in No3 club

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By *pl- capdagdeCouple
over a year ago

Cap d agde,France

"Easy to condemn.... taking all into account how would you have reacted having been sent out after calls reporting this particularly following the recent killing of 2 police officers? Hindsight....such a fabulous thing, sadly only available after the event... uniforms do not come with magic powers and like them or loathe them, police officers are human and make mistakes. It is unfortunate and Im sure the victim is totally distressed and I wish him a full recovery."

So because 2 coppers were killed that gives them the right ti go out shooting everyone they suspect of a crime ? Don't talk rubbish the uniform means they are professionals payed to do a job like everyone else. Seems there are more than a few that can't do the job properly ..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Maybe they should sacrifice an officer first to make sure it is a samuri sword

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I know they won't do it but I would dearly love the police to prove a point one day and say "We're going on strike for 24 hours and we will not investigate or respond to anything that happens in that period, so do what you like"

That will be fun, a day where all crime is allowed. All the local scumbags given free reign. We'd see if everyone was so quick to condemn them for the difficult job they do after that.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Apparently the police station is straight opposite the day centre for blind people that this poor guy belongs to!!

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By *orkieMan
over a year ago

Who knows

"If he were black he probably wouldn't be alive to tell his tale...just saying!

If he'd have been black then surely he wouldn't have fitted the description of the offender in this case ?

(Why do I now feel like my screen is gonna go WAAAGH, WAAAGH, WAAAGH like it does on QI when someone makes an obvious (but wrong) response)

Yeh but he would have been used to get the monthly quota up

It's Chorley, not Los Angeles

I'm surprised they actually had tasers.

Nothing happens there.

They only get called out once in a blue moon - and that's when there's a disrespectful single male taking it too far in No3 club

better issue GMP with a few extra tasers then to cope with a couple of disrespectful randomers myself and a ladyfriend have met in clubs down that way

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By *kmale421Man
over a year ago

wirral

"I know they won't do it but I would dearly love the police to prove a point one day and say "We're going on strike for 24 hours and we will not investigate or respond to anything that happens in that period, so do what you like"

That will be fun, a day where all crime is allowed. All the local scumbags given free reign. We'd see if everyone was so quick to condemn them for the difficult job they do after that. "

Jodie your right, the Police do do a difficult job and at times in very trying situations. Your also right that the story will have given a slanted _iew of what happened which sensationalises an already serious incident. I also agree with you that the copper didn't go out on the call, never mind when he got up in the morning with the intention of doing this and as someone said earlier, apparantly a man with a sword was arrested later in the area, though that wasn't reported on the local TV news on BBC last night.

However, when a Policeman/woman draws a weapon whether that be the CS Gas or The Taser (I'll leave guns to one side) they are fully accountable for their actions and can be criticised without it turning into an argument as to whether we need coppers and what it would be like if they striked for an hour, a day, a week etc. In this incident the copper got it dreadfully wrong, fortunately the victim will live to tell his tale and the copper will get retrained. That unfortunately isn't always the case.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Wtf

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Next they'll be attacking people in wheelchairs, mistaking them for armored personnel carriers!!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Don't worry everyone.

"Lessons will be learned"

So you can now rest easy. This will never happen again.

Just like the "lessons have been learned" about: Baby P,

Victoria Climbie,

Tia Rigg

Stafford hospital,

Rochdale sex grooming,

etc., etc. etc

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By *ugby 123Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

O o O oo

Not seeing the whole story and how far away the copper was etc....but, having seen the man on the nes, his white stick wasn't the ones I normally see, ie long, it was a shortened version....so I suppose could be mistaken for something else.

( unless everyone has these shortened versions and I just havn't seen much of them )

So I would be asking a question of....How close do you have to be to give a taser?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

He should've went to specsavers!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Bet he didnt see that coming...

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