The Police Ombudsman has concluded that police were justified in using a Taser against a man feared to be at risk of causing serious harm to himself.
The incident happened in Larne on 11 June 2009, after police received a call from a local doctor requesting assistance to section a man under the Mental Health Order.
Police went to the man's house and met members of his family and his GP who raised concerns over the man's welfare given a history of self-harming and violent behaviour.
When police tried to communicate with the man, he became verbally abusive and refused them entry to his house.
The man's social worker arrived at the scene and reiterated the concerns of his family and GP for his safety. Police then decided to force an entry into the property.
Once inside officers found the man in his bedroom holding a large knife. He was acting aggressively and when he approached police with the knife, the officers left the building.
A police negotiator and an Armed Response Vehicle were then summoned to the scene, and the occupants of nearby houses were evacuated from the area for their own safety.
Officers from the Armed Response Vehicle entered the man's bedroom where they found him holding a knife with both hands with the blade of the knife pointing towards his chest.
Officers ordered him to drop the knife, which he did. He was then asked to turn around and keep his hands visible. He initially complied but then moved back towards the knife. At that point an officer decided to discharge the Taser striking the man on the chest and this allowed officers to seize the knife and handcuff him.
Medical staff were then able to take the man to hospital where he was medically examined and sectioned under the Mental Health Order.
During their investigation of the incident, Police Ombudsman investigators secured all relevant police documentation, conducted house-to-house enquiries in the area, obtained statements from police and civilian witnesses, examined the man's medical records and analysed police radio transmissions.
The officer who discharged the Taser told Police Ombudsman investigators that he did so only after considering and discounting other options such as the use of CS Spray, a baton gun or a handheld baton.
Training records were also examined and these confirmed that the officer who discharged the Taser was properly trained and authorised to do so.
After considering the evidence, the Police Ombudsman, Mr Al Hutchinson, concluded that the discharge had been justified and proportionate. He said police had employed a graduated response.
"Alternative, less forceful, actions were considered and used but failed to achieve the co-operation of the subject," he said. "The matter was dealt with in a professional manner by police, who achieved a satisfactory conclusion to the incident without injuries being sustained by any person."
No public complaints were received about the incident, and the Police Ombudsman concluded that no officer had committed any criminal or misconduct offences.