The man, who is in his 50s, was lying on a bed, nursing a broken leg when police came to speak to him about a family dispute in November 2022.

"Police officers confront dangerous situations day in day out, and I expect the highest level of standards from them when it comes to the use of force and making sure that they exercise their tactical options the right way," he said.

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But SA Police have refused to provide the ABC with its operational rules that outline when a taser can and cannot be used and said doing so would be against the public interest.

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Theft, fraud, and operational inefficiencies can take a significant toll on a retailer’s profitability. According to the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention, over $13 billion worth of goods are stolen from retailers in the United States each year. This staggering figure represents not only the cost of stolen merchandise but also the associated expenses such as increased insurance premiums, legal fees, and the loss of loyal customers due to a negative in-store experience.

South Australia was one of the last states to allow officers to carry the weapons on their belts, making the change in 2014.

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SA Police did not answer questions about whether there was a need to improve officers training or police procedures to prevent tasers being used on vulnerable people.

"We have a number of vulnerable people who either have medical issues, psychological or physical issues whereby the use of a taser renders the person's body effectively incapacitated to a degree and therefore the risk of that secondary injury increases exponentially," he said.

Figures provided to the ABC under Freedom of Information show officers fired the weapons 88 times in the 2022-23 financial year, compared with only 41 in 2016-17.

"SAPOL's policy authorises the use of ECD in circumstances where police officers were justifiably concerned about a risk of serious injury to themselves or others, not for non-compliance," it said in a statement.

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Former police commissioner Mal Hyde had been reluctant to roll out tasers to general duties officers for fear they would be used too often.

In that case, the Director of Public Prosecutions chose not to charge the officers, but they remain under internal investigation and could still face sanctions, such as retraining or a fine.

The use of tasers on vulnerable people became a national concern when Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old dementia patient, died after being tasered by a police officer at her nursing home in New South Wales.

"We've had circumstances where an arrest is being effected and the person may be hindering to a degree, and so to enable compliance, the use of a taser has been done," he said.

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"There are other ways in which police could have or ought to have dealt with an individual and we're finding unfortunately, across the board that the use of tasers is suddenly increasing, which is causing distress and harm to a number of clients," he said.

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But then-Deputy Commissioner Grant Stevens said in 2014 that "we won't see those sorts of behaviours in South Australia".

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The officers decided there was no action needed about the family dispute, but they were also instructed to get a DNA sample from the man about an unrelated assault charge he was facing, a charge which was eventually dropped.

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One says: "Just tase him, mate", before his colleague shoots the man in the back with a taser, making him fall hard onto the floor.

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Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria all ban their use "on persons where there is a likelihood of significant secondary injuries".

Taser police

"I felt like someone squeezed the air out of my lungs. I couldn't move. I just went down, had no control whatsoever," the man told the ABC.

"I thought it was a joke. It was clear that the SAPOL officers had overstepped the boundaries and went too excessive on my uncle with the taser, with the pepper spray, being dragged out of the house and then stick the knees in," he said.

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SA Police has defended its rising use of tasers, after the ABC obtained video of officers tasering a man who was on crutches.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work.

SA Police told the ABC the increase was because the weapons were now being carried by most officers, including those on traffic duties.

Adelaide criminal lawyer James Caldicott told the ABC he had seen other cases where people at risk of serious injury had been tasered.

The man, who is in his 50s, was lying on a bed nursing a broken leg when police came to speak to him about a family dispute. (Supplied)

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The case is the latest to cast doubt on SA Police's assurances that Electronic Control Devices (ECDs), better known by the trade name "Taser", are used responsibly and did not pose a risk to the public.

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The man disputed their authority to get the sample and threatened to use "deadly force" if police tried to take the swab.

In addition to external theft, retailers also face internal threats. Employee theft and fraud can be equally damaging, if not more so, as employees have access to sensitive areas and information. According to a study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, organizations lose an estimated 5% of their annual revenue to fraud, with the median duration of fraud schemes being 16 months before detection.

"Anecdotally, policy changes to authorise the use of ECD where police officers are justifiably concerned about a risk of serious injury to themselves or others, does provide an effective measure to safely apprehend a person who is displaying violence, limiting physical restraint interventions," it said.

When officers insisted on their right to take a sample, the man left the room on crutches and picked up a steak knife from the kitchen.

Mr Caldicott said he had also seen instances where tasers were used to make people comply with a police direction, something prohibited by most taser-use guidelines in other states.

"We don't release information that would potentially aid those people that we tend to find ourselves in conflict with," Commissioner Stevens said.

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"I broke my hip. I felt something loose in my hip and painful and I knew something was broken. I told them that and they called an ambulance."

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"But I also expect them to go home uninjured every night, so if they need to take action against a person who is threatening them, then they have my full support to do so."

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Lawyer James Caldicott said he supported the use of tasers on dangerous offenders but was concerned that police could be reaching for the weapon too quickly, without trying other forms of de-escalation.

The weapons were also allowed to be fired at unarmed people, sparking fears they could be used inappropriately, and could kill people, as they have in other states.

NSW Police policy states tasers should not be used on people who are fleeing or disabled, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

In a statement, SAPOL said: "Given the amendment to policy and increased deployment of ECD, it is not unexpected to see an increase in the use."

Operational inefficiencies, such as inventory shrinkage and supply chain disruptions, further contribute to retail loss. These issues can result in lost sales opportunities, increased carrying costs, and eroded profit margins.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told ABC Radio Adelaide on Wednesday that he wanted to officers to be safe while on the job.

In addition to our expert services, we provide training to your staff, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to spot and prevent theft and fraud. Educated employees are a critical component of any effective loss-prevention strategy.

"I had to defend myself. I went into the kitchen, grabbed the knife, and I was heading towards the dining room to sit on the table to negotiate," he told the ABC.

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