Police Taser use is revealed

metman

Taser stun guns were used on nearly 300 members of the public by police last year, Home Office figures confirm.



Police officers also drew or aimed the weapons an additional 850 times between July 2007 and the end of May this year. The guns were used 159 times and fired 26 times in England and Wales between February and May this year. Ten police forces are taking part in a year-long pilot project allowing specially-trained non-firearms officers to use Tasers.

'Real difference'
In July last year, the rules were changed to allow police to use the weapons in less serious incidents. Previously they could only be used when officers could have considered using a conventional firearm. Overall, they have been used 411 times and fired 57 times since the trial began last September. Home Office minister Tony McNulty said: "Tasers have contributed to resolving incidents without injury where otherwise there would have been a real possibility of someone being seriously injured or killed.

'Need to monitor'
"In a significant proportion of cases they have not needed to be fired, drawing or aiming the Taser has been enough of a deterrent."

Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said: "While the deployment of Tasers is and should be an operational matter for the police, these figures highlight the increasingly violent situations our police are facing every day.

"It also reinforces the need to properly monitor the use of this relatively new technology as it is more widely used."

Amnesty International arms programme director Oliver Sprague said the police had a duty to protect themselves and the community "but arming more officers with dangerous weapons without the rigorous training and necessary safeguards could well be a recipe for disaster.

"Any officer carrying this weapon must be trained to the same high standard as they are for using a firearm, receiving intensive, ongoing training to ensure that they only use these dangerous weapons in the right situations."

Source.

At the present time the weapon is now being considered for routine issue in the MPS, though as with all things I'm sure cost will be a factor.

FGR

If it becomes standard issue in the MPS then I'm sure that will be the beginning of general issue throughout the UK?

TheNog

This report just goes to show how badly needed the Tazers are. In years to come the British Police and the AGS will ever wonder how they were able to work without them. Interestingly the times the Tazer was taken out of the holster (411 times) and the times it was used just (57 times) goes to show that the Tazer was used more as a deterrent rather than a tool to restrain a violent prisoner.

I also agree with what Amnesty International says in that if it is rolled out to every member of the force that could standards slip. Although having said that there is no report or study (that I know of) in the use of the ASP in Ireland and the injuries that have been caused. In my mind the ASP, when used incorrectly, would cause more serious injury than a Tazer.