“Time right for all officers to have option to carry Taser”
THE Police Federation of England and Wales voted unanimously that all operational police officers should have the opportunity to carry Taser.
Steve White, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: “This is a step in the right direction and we will now work with ACPO, individual chief officers, the Superintendents’ Association and the Home Office to progress this as a matter of urgency.”
In addition they agreed to support the action of the National Armed Policing and Less Lethal Weapons working group/Secretariat in asking forces to conduct a Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment of current Taser capability and capacity provision to provide evidence in support of a wider roll out of Taser to more operational police officers.
Mr White added: “We have long called for a wider roll-out of Taser. Now the time is right for all operational police officers to have the option to carry Taser which I believe will provide greater public reassurance.
“Any officer authorised to carry Taser must be fully trained to do so and there are strict procedures and safeguards in place to ensure all officers are fully accountable.
“It is only right that police officers be given the choice to carry Taser and we urge Government and all chief officers to give this their support.”
A poll on the Federation’s website shows that of more than 7,500 votes, 89 per cent believe all front line officers should be issued with Taser.
According to the BBC, at present 14,000 police officers in England and Wales are authorised/trained to use Tasers. So give or take that’s another 100,000 who would need to be equipped and appropriately trained.
ACPO estimates that each Taser costs £1,000. At least 18 hours Taser training is needed, plus six hours refresher per year to carry a Taser.
Commander Neil Basu, the National Policing Lead on Taser, said: Whilst I would support an extended roll out, this must be informed by appropriate assessments of existing threat and risk, the high standards of training must not be diluted and they should only be carried by those who volunteer to do so.”
Neil Bowles, Chairman of South Yorkshire Police Federation, said: “We’re getting so many officers assaulted whether the true recorded figures say it or not. We’re getting more and more officers single-crewed. I just think it’s another thing to go on your PPE, for general policing risks, and I fully support it.”