Police officer tasers parcel courier in Amsterdam street
A motorcycle officer used a taser on a courier in the Runstraat yesterday afternoon, and the police say the use of force will now be reviewed.
A police officer used a taser on a parcel courier in the Runstraat in Amsterdam yesterday afternoon. The police say the courier's van was blocking the street and he refused to move it. The police say he was arrested, given fines and sent home.
The courier also failed to hand over his documents when asked to identify himself, according to the police. The police say that when the officer tried to guide the man to a wall, the courier grabbed him by the wrist. "The officer had to pull himself free and immediately used his taser," the police said.
Video of the incident is circulating on social media. In it the courier asks why he has been arrested, and the officer then uses the taser. A police spokesperson said: "The incident lasted longer than we see on the video." The police added that "a short clip never shows the full picture".
The police reported the use of the taser to an officer with legal powers (hulpofficier van justitie), who will review the use of force.
The police union, the Nederlandse Politiebond, is not passing judgement on the incident. It says the footage is not enough to assess the full situation and the officer's considerations, and it will say nothing while the investigation continues.
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Nederlandse Politiebond
The Nederlandse Politiebond is a trade union that represents police officers in the Netherlands. It takes part in negotiations on their pay and working conditions and advises members on their employment rights. When an incident involving police officers is in the news, it is the union that speaks on behalf of its members, rather than the police force or the government.