POLICE USE OF FORCE TO BE REVIEWED

The B.C. chief coroner called for a complete review of all deaths
involving police restraint Wednesday, after a string of Taser deaths
sparked a review of the device on Aug. 5.

The Taser stun gun, used by police to demobilize violent or resistant
offenders, has been linked to five deaths in the past 18 months.

The investigation was called after Vancouver police revealed they
shocked Robert Bagnell with the device on June 23, while he was high
on cocaine. Bagnell died in police custody.

Upon use, the stun gun shocks an offender with 50,000 volts of
electricity. Police say it doesn't cause permanent physical damage and
it is a safer alternative to firearms.

The broad investigation will go back to 1994, before B.C. police had
acquired Tasers.