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Beat officers set for Taser trial Beat officers set for Taser trial
(about 3 hours later)
Strathclyde Police is to become the first force in Scotland to issue Taser stun guns to beat officers.Strathclyde Police is to become the first force in Scotland to issue Taser stun guns to beat officers.
The pilot project will run from March to September and involve 30 officers in Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.The pilot project will run from March to September and involve 30 officers in Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.
The programme is due to be discussed at a meeting of Strathclyde Police Authority. Scottish Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott said it was a "slippery slope" to Tasers being widely rolled out.
However, a spokesman for Amnesty International Scotland said the three-day training which will be given to officers was insufficient. Strathclyde Police Authority is discussing the pilot, with formal approval likely at a later date, with strict guidelines over Taser use.
Taser guns can deliver a 50,000 volt electrical charge and are designed to incapacitate rather than cause serious injury.Taser guns can deliver a 50,000 volt electrical charge and are designed to incapacitate rather than cause serious injury.
Strathclyde Police, along with other UK forces, introduced the guns in 2005 for use by authorised firearms officers. This is the slippery slope to every officer in Strathclyde carrying a Taser gun Tavish ScottScottish Liberal Democrat leader
The idea of these devices becoming an everyday presence on Scottish streets is something we're very concerned about John WatsonAmnesty International Scotland Strathclyde Police introduced the guns in 2005 for use by authorised firearms officers, but the pilot would see other officers issued with the weapons for "operational duties" after a three-day training course.
But under the pilot, officers will undertake a three-day training course before being issued with the weapons during "operational duties". Mr Scott demanded to know what involvement the Scottish government had with the scheme, and asked whether parliament would have a say.
Amnesty International's John Watson said the charity was not opposed to the use of Tasers but raised concerns about training. "When Tasers were put on trial in England, within the first year, they'd been used 600 times - 34 children were zapped with 50,000 volts," he said during question time at Holyrood.
"We support the current system whereby Tasers are held by specially trained firearms officers," he said. "This is the slippery slope to every officer in Strathclyde carrying a Taser gun."
"Training involves strategies for dealing with confrontation, stress and anger. It takes place over months and is an ongoing thing. But First Minister Alex Salmond said it was a police operational matter, adding: "I think it would be appropriate if we allow the Chief Constable of Strathclyde to have his pilot studies to analyse the results.
"Now we're talking about Tasers being given to ordinary officers, dealing with whatever situation arises in their day, and getting three days of training for that - that's quite a different scenario." "Then we can come to an informed decision - as opposed to Tavish Scott's, I think, unwise speculation about what he thinks the results might be."
He added: "The idea of these devices becoming an everyday presence on Scottish streets is something we're very concerned about.
"It really has the potential to change the nature of policing in Scotland and this is going ahead without much of a public debate about it."
Police assaultsPolice assaults
The pilot project, costing £45,559, will extend this to beat officers serving in Glasgow city centre and Rutherglen and Cambuslang. The £45,559 pilot project will focus on beat officers in Glasgow city centre, Rutherglen and Cambuslang areas - which have seen a higher number of police assaults.
These sub divisions have been chosen as they currently experience a higher number of police assaults compared with other areas. Strathclyde Ch Supt Bob Hamilton, said: "The three-day Taser training is the exact same training as the firearms officers get in relation to Tasers.
Ch Supt Bob Hamilton, who is in charge of the pilot, said: "The three-day Taser training is the exact same training as the firearms officers get in relation to Tasers.
"We don't want to dilute the training, it's a very important matter.""We don't want to dilute the training, it's a very important matter."
The officer also said there would be strict guidelines over the deployment of the device. Human rights organisation Amnesty International Scotland said it it did not oppose Tasers, but claimed the training course was insufficient.
Strathclyde Police Authority is due to discuss the pilot and formal approval is likely at a later date. Amnesty's John Watson, said: "We're talking about Tasers being given to ordinary officers, dealing with whatever situation arises in their day, and getting three days of training for that.
"The idea of these devices becoming an everyday presence on Scottish streets is something we're very concerned about."