The Criminal Code Regulation Research Essay

Prohibited Weapons in Canada

Only security personnel are permitted to own or use the various weapons on the list of the Criminal Code Regulation SOR 98-462 in Canada. Any firearm that can discharge an item using an electrical current falls under this category. These include, but are not limited to, the SSS-1 Stinger or any other firearm with a size comparable to a hand’s palm. (Canada, 2017). The Striker shotgun or a modified variant of it is the other prohibited weapon. The Taser Public Defender cannot be used by anyone who is not a police official (O’Toole, 2013). The nation’s Firearm Act imposes penalties on anyone found using these or other banned weapons without authorization. There are various reasons why the police can possess the aforesaid weapons. First thing, section 117.1 of Canada’s Criminal Code allows all public officers to use prohibited weapons (Canada.ca, 2017). Moreover, police officers get special training for the use of the weapon that provided to civilians. According to Canadian Shooting Sports (2017), the operation of most of the prohibited weapons requires specialized skills which are not provided to the public. Most importantly, unlike civilians, the police know when to use and when not to use the weapon thus preventing unnecessary security tensions in the society.

The Importance of Public Safety

Notably, the main idea behind prohibiting the use of some weapons and legalizing others is to improve public safety. As such, the government should prioritize legalization of firearms that people can use to protect themselves and their loved ones without causing deaths. Such firearms include the Taser or Stunguns. Most of the models of the Taser have a short range of 4.5 meters. Most states in the United States do not categorize Tasers as a prohibited weapon (Slosiarek, 2009). Likewise, Canada should consider legalizing the use of the Taser by authorized civilians. The firearm will enable users to subdue adversaries without killing or injuring them. Basically, Tasers makes the muscle cramp up thus making the person shot to lose control (Slosiarek, 2009). As such, the police will get the suspects easily and obtain important evidence for prosecution which might get lost if a weapon with a live bullet was used.

References

Canada. (2017). Prohibited weapons. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/prohibited-prohibe-eng.htm

Canada.ca. (2015). Regulations prescribing certain firearms and other weapons, components and parts of weapons, accessories, cartridge magazines, ammunition and projectiles as prohibited, Restricted or non-restricted (SOR/98-462). Retrieved 25, July 2017, from http://www.laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-98-462/page-2.html#h-4

Canada.ca. (2017). Public officers. Retrieved July 28, 2017, from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/section-117.07.html

Canadian Shooting Sports. (2017). Striker shotgun. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from https://cssa-cila.org/legals/no-warrant-no-entry/

O’Toole, M. (2013, August 27). All Ontario police officers will be allowed to carry Tasers, but budget may limit how many get them. National Post. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from http://nationalpost.com/news/toronto/all-ontario-police-officers-will-be-allowed-to-carry-tasers-province-announces/wcm/69ab3e89-f7a7-41ba-a44a-91fd83ac72b8

Slosiarek, J. (2009, March 20). Facts about stun guns and their use in Canada. CBC News. Retrieved July 27, 2017, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/facts-about-stun-guns-and-their-use-in-canada-1.810288