Ipsos Reid/Global News: Taser Poll

Q1. This survey is about an October 14th incident where a Polish immigrant (Robert Dziekanski, 40) died shortly after being Tasered by RCMP officers at Vancouver International airport. Overall, do you think the actions of police during this incident were reasonable or not reasonable?

Comments: Only one-in-ten British Columbians believe the actions of police during this incident were reasonable. Seven-in-ten rate police actions as "not reasonable", including eight-in-ten residents who saw the video of the incident.

Q2. And, do you generally approve or disapprove of the actions taken by the RCMP since the incident took place (i.e., from then until now)?

Comments: The public also takes a disapproving view of the RCMP's actions since the incident. Six-in-ten say they disapprove of the RCMP's actions, while two-in-ten approve. Among those who saw the video, disapproval rises to seven-in-ten.

Q3. As you may know, the video of this incident has been released to the media. Have you personally seen any of the video of this incident?

Comments: Six-in-ten survey respondents say they have seen at least some of the video of the incident.

Q4. And did what you saw and heard in the video make you more supportive or less supportive of the actions of the police in this incident?

Comments: Among those who saw the video, three-quarters say what they saw and heard made them less supportive of police actions in this incident.

Q5. As you may know, the RCMP is conducting an internal investigation into this incident. Do you think there should also be an independent investigation into the actions of the RCMP in this incident, or is that not necessary?

Comments: Eight-in-ten British Columbians say there is a need for an independent investigation into the actions of the RCMP in this incident.

Q6. As you may know, some groups have called for a moratorium (temporary ban) on Taser use pending the introduction of more detailed laws to govern their use. Do you think a moratorium on Taser use is necessary, or not?

Comments: British Columbians are split on whether there is a need for a moratorium on Taser use pending the introduction of more detailed laws to govern their use.

Methodology
These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Global BC. The poll was fielded November 14-15, 2007 with a representative sample of 454 adult residents of British Columbia. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate to within 177 4.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population of British Columbia been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual British Columbia population according to 2006 Census data.

The polling was conducted using Ipsos Reid's "Voice of the West Interactive Forum" - an online panel of more than 1,600 British Columbians who have been randomly recruited to match the overall characteristics of the adult residents of the province.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Kyle Braid
Vice President
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
(778) 373-5130
[email protected]

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