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'Tasers for all front-line officers' - Police Federation | 'Tasers for all front-line officers' - Police Federation |
(about 5 hours later) | |
All front-line police in England and Wales should be offered Tasers in light of the increased terrorism threat, the head of the Police Federation says. | |
Steve White said the devices would help protect against "dangerous people" who could be preparing to attack officers. | |
He told The Guardian that terrorists seeking to attract attention could attack at any time, anywhere in the UK. | |
The federation is to vote on the proposal to offer all frontline officers Taser training next month. | |
Some officers may choose not to carry one. | Some officers may choose not to carry one. |
'Respond to threat' | 'Respond to threat' |
Mr White, the body's chairman, told the newspaper: "The terrorist ideal to get attention no longer relies on an attack being in a place of note. | |
"It could be in Cheam high street, in any town, in any part of the UK. | "It could be in Cheam high street, in any town, in any part of the UK. |
"We know there are more dangerous people out there, preparing to attack police officers and we need to be able to respond to that threat." | "We know there are more dangerous people out there, preparing to attack police officers and we need to be able to respond to that threat." |
And he told Radio 4's Today programme: "We've got to show our officers that we're taking the threat seriously. | |
"We've got to make sure that we give them every opportunity to respond to the threat. | |
"Because it's not just their personal safety, it's the safety of the public as well." | |
'Less than lethal' | |
He told the programme he was making the call after seeing the "usefulness" of tasers. | |
He said the weapons had shown they could help keep officers and the public safe. | |
Mr White made a similar call when vice-chair of the federation, following the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby. | |
Tasers were introduced into British policing in 2003 as a non-lethal alternative for firearms officers facing potentially dangerous suspects. | Tasers were introduced into British policing in 2003 as a non-lethal alternative for firearms officers facing potentially dangerous suspects. |
Officers are required to take a training course before being allowed to use a Taser and they are told only to deploy them when threatened with violence. | Officers are required to take a training course before being allowed to use a Taser and they are told only to deploy them when threatened with violence. |
'Use sparingly' | |
In 2013, Tasers were deployed 10,380 times across England and Wales and there were 154 complaints about their use. | In 2013, Tasers were deployed 10,380 times across England and Wales and there were 154 complaints about their use. |
There have been a number of deaths related to the use of the stun guns. | There have been a number of deaths related to the use of the stun guns. |
Amnesty International UK's arms programme director Oliver Sprague told the Guardian: "We've always said that Tasers can have a part to play in policing operations where there's a clear risk of death or serious injury to police officers or members of the public - but Tasers should be used sparingly and only by highly-trained officers." | Amnesty International UK's arms programme director Oliver Sprague told the Guardian: "We've always said that Tasers can have a part to play in policing operations where there's a clear risk of death or serious injury to police officers or members of the public - but Tasers should be used sparingly and only by highly-trained officers." |
He also queried if there was evidence that a terrorist would be deterred by knowing police officers were armed with Tasers. | He also queried if there was evidence that a terrorist would be deterred by knowing police officers were armed with Tasers. |