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Fears grow over Taser expansion Concerns over Taser gun roll-out
(about 2 hours later)
Taser electronic stun guns are being made available to more police officers in England and Wales. Concerns have been raised for public safety as Taser stun guns are made available to more police officers in England and Wales.
Officers who are not firearms specialists will be able to use the 50,000-volt Tasers to protect themselves or the public from Saturday. Officers in 10 forces, who are not firearms specialists, will be able to use the 50,000-volt Tasers to protect themselves or the public.
As part of a year-long trial the officers will be able to use Tasers when faced with serious violence - even if a suspect is not armed. But Amnesty International fears police using the weapons in the one-year trial may not have been properly trained.
Amnesty International opposes the move, claiming the guns can be lethal. The Police Federation said Tasers were becoming necessary on the frontline.
Until now Tasers have only been issued in Britain to members of police firearms units. Until now, about 3,000 Tasers had been issued in Britain, but only to members of police firearms units.
How does a Taser work?How does a Taser work?
Firearms officers could only use them when confronted by an armed attacker, but their powers were extended in July to include incidents of severe violence or threats.
Electric shocksElectric shocks
They could only use them when confronted by an armed attacker. Now officers from other units will be able to use Tasers, which can temporarily disable a suspect.
But now, as part of the trial in 10 forces, officers from other units will be able to use Tasers when faced with serious violence. The Tasers deliver powerful electric shocks and are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to regular police weapons.
Tasers deliver powerful electric shocks and are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to regular police weapons.
You need trained firearms officers who not only know how to fire a Taser but know when to fire a Taser Mike BlakemoreAmnesty InternationalYou need trained firearms officers who not only know how to fire a Taser but know when to fire a Taser Mike BlakemoreAmnesty International
The move has been welcomed by the Police Federation who say Tasers are an increasingly necessary piece of equipment for frontline officers. But Amnesty International said stun guns were potentially lethal and there had been numerous deaths in the US because they have been misused.
Amnesty International says stun guns are potentially lethal and there have been numerous deaths in the US because they have been misused. Spokesman Mike Blakemore said: "The police have a very difficult job to do and they need to protect themselves and they need to protect the public.
Amnesty spokesman Mike Blakemore said: "The police have a very difficult job to do and they need to protect themselves and they need to protect the public. "You need trained firearms officers who not only know how to fire a Taser but know when to fire a Taser. These are potentially very dangerous weapons."
"You need trained firearms officers who not only know how to fire a Taser but know when to fire a Taser. He said firearms officers underwent continuous training for real-life situations, with training repeated every month to keep them up to date.
"These are potentially very dangerous weapons. Firearms officers undergo continuous training. I understand they undergo training for real life situations. "What we do not know is exactly what the nature of the training is that non-firearms officers will receive," he said.
"And they undergo repeated training every month to keep them up to date. What we don't know is exactly what the nature of the training is that non-firearms officers will receive.
"And we're concerned that it won't be up to the same standard.""And we're concerned that it won't be up to the same standard."
Former Scotland Yard commander John O' Connor told BBC News 24 that he believed the move was dangerous because officers were not being properly trained. TASER PILOT SCHEME FORCES Avon and SomersetDevon and CornwallGwentLincolnshireMerseysideMetropolitan Police ServiceNorthamptonshireNorthumbriaNorth WalesWest Yorkshire
He said: "I think the notion of giving these guns, these Taser guns, out indiscriminately to untrained officers - because it's a non-lethal option - they're going to run the risk of these things being used far too indiscriminately." Former Scotland Yard commander John O' Connor told BBC News 24 he believed extending the number of officers using Tasers was dangerous because officers were not being properly trained.
He said by giving out Taser guns "indiscriminately to untrained officers" there was a risk they would be used far too indiscriminately.
"What they should be doing is every single recruit that comes in should be firearms trained," he said.
"Then I wouldn't have any qualms at all about issuing those officers with a Taser gun, as required."
Death in DurhamDeath in Durham
More than 3,000 Tasers have been issued to police since 2003. Previously Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, has said his members welcomed an expansion of Taser use.
In October last year 47-year-old Brian Loan died several days after being shot by a Taser by police in County Durham. A coroner later recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, attributing his death to heart disease. "If there is a need to use force then in some circumstances it would be better to use a Taser," he said.
"It's not fair to compare us with US-style policing. You won't see people tasered for traffic offences. Officers will use it responsibly. At the moment they have a baton and CS gas.
"There is no long-term effect with Taser. But if someone is batoned or [gassed] there are long-term effects."
In October 2006, 47-year-old Brian Loan died several days after being shot by a Taser by police in County Durham. A coroner later recorded a verdict of death by natural causes, attributing his death to heart disease.
His sister, Barbara Hodgson, refused to accept the Taser was not to blame for his death and told a local paper: "The evidence might not exist at the minute, but I am sure we will be proved right as more cases come to light."His sister, Barbara Hodgson, refused to accept the Taser was not to blame for his death and told a local paper: "The evidence might not exist at the minute, but I am sure we will be proved right as more cases come to light."
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