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Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair is calling for a public debate about equipping officers responding to situations involving emotionally disturbed people with Tasers.

The Chief made his comments following a police services board meeting Thursday in which residents, activists and people who have suffered from mental illnesses pleaded for changes to the way officers handle such incidents.

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The death of Michael Eligon, who was shot by Toronto police after leaving the psychiatric ward of Toronto East General Hospital, has roused public outrage — to the point where one physician said she will now think twice about calling officers for someone in an agitated state.

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Mr. Eligon, 29, was carrying two pairs of scissors at the time of the shooting in February.

‘I can’t say with some certainty — or any certainty — that Taser was the answer [in the Eligon case]’

“I can’t say with some certainty — or any certainty — that Taser was the answer [in the Eligon case], I don’t know,” Chief Blair said. “But I think it’s worthwhile to have the broader public discussion about the use of conductive energy devices” or any technology that “would enable us to resolve these very difficult, very dangerous situations, as safely as possible.”