The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it will restrict Taser use after the head of its public watchdog said the force should only use the weapons in situations where suspects are combative or could cause harm.

The move Wednesday follows an international uproar over the Tasering of a Polish immigrant who died at Vancouver International Airport last year after police zapped him with a stun gun. Twenty people in Canada have died after being Tasered, prompting public scrutiny of a weapon the Mounties have drawn more than 4,000 times since its introduction in 2001.

Arizona-based manufacturer Taser International said the weapons have never been directly blamed for a death, though they have been cited as contributing factors.

Paul Kennedy, chairman of the RCMP complaints commission, also said officers must seek immediate medical attention for people they shock with Tasers. His 78-page final report Wednesday echoed an interim report released by the commission in December that called for police to limit Tasers to clashes where suspects are combative or risk serious harm to themselves, the police or the public.

The RCMP is not bound by the recommendations, but Kennedy said if the force does not implement them, he’ll withdraw his support for Taser usage.

In a statement Wednesday, the Mounties said officers will be given better guidance on how and when Tasers should be used “as quickly as possible.”

“We will act on the recommendations as quickly as possible to provide clearer direction to our members, to further restrict situations in which (they) can be deployed, and to develop and implement measures to enhance accountability,” the RCMP said in a statement posted on their Web site.

Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day asked Kennedy to study the force’s use of Tasers following public outrage over the death of immigrant Robert Dziekanski last October. Police said they used the Taser after Dziekanski began acting erratically at the airport. Dziekanski, who spoke only Polish, had apparently become upset after waiting for 10 hours at the airport for his mother, who was supposed to pick him up. His death brought intense criticism after video of the incident was released.

Canadian police forces consider stun guns a safer alternative to the lethal force of a regular firearm.

While Kennedy said he wanted constraints on the weapons, he stopped short of recommending a moratorium, saying the risk of being hit with a Taser is less than being shot in the chest with a conventional gun.

“No one is calling for the police to be disarmed and not use weapons,” he said.

Kennedy said only Mounties with the rank of corporal or higher should be allowed to use Tasers in cities. In rural areas with 5,000 residents or fewer, only constables with at least five years on the job should be authorized to fire the weapon.

He stressed that young officers “are very good Canadians who’ve taken on very difficult jobs,” but they need mentoring and experience.

Tony Cannavino, president of the Canadian Police Association, said this week that officers need solid research, guidance and proper training _ including recertification every two years _ in order to be sure the stun guns are used properly.