Taser - call for stun gun to be used more widely

By Patrick Gower

Chief officers have told the Home Office that the Taser stun gun should be available to more officers and be used in a wider range of situations. At present, only authorised firearms officers - who Mr Tonge said make up five per cent of the service in England and Wales - can use the 50,000-volt Taser as a less-lethal alternative in situations where they would otherwise use conventional guns.

Mr Tonge, chief constable of Gwent Police and ACPO lead on conflict management, said ACPO was building a 'case' for the expanded use of Taser, by collating evidence from all uses of the 'less lethal weapon' in the 12-month period since it was introduced to firearms officers in five forces in April 2003 and expected to put it to the Home Office later this year. Now 15 forces have Taser. Police Review has learned that the Home Secretary turned down a similar request from ACPO last year for the expanded use of Taser in conflict situations where firearms were not appropriate.

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5/26/05