Warwickshire Police to increase number of Taser trained officers

A bid to increase the number of Taser trained officers within Warwickshire Police has been successful.

The Home Office recently invited funding bids from all forces for additional Tasers, and following a strategic assessment of the force’s needs, a bid was submitted by Warwickshire Police.

This bid has been approved and the county will now see more police officers trained and equipped with Taser.

The force currently has 20% of its frontline officers trained in the use of Taser, this number will now increase to 28% over the next two years.

In a recent public priorities survey, 74% of the public within Warwickshire agreed frontline officers carrying Taser made them feel safer, and 93% also agreed officers should be given more protection when carrying out their duties.

 

Following the announcement, Assistant Chief Constable Debbie Tedds said: “The safety and protection of our officers and the public is our ultimate priority and the use of Taser plays an integral part of this. Recent events have led to national debate on this important topic, and alongside many other forces, we made the decision to bid for additional funding for Taser trained officers within Warwickshire.

“This news has been very much welcomed by the Force, and will play a significant role in keeping both our communities and our officers safe.

 

“Warwickshire is a safe place to live, work and visit, but when situations do arise which pose a significant risk to members of the public and our workforce, Taser remains an important tool for our officers. However, it is not something we use lightly, and often just the mere presence of a Taser is enough of a deterrent to bring such situations to a quick and safe conclusion.

“The selection of these additional trained officers will commence in the coming months and they will undergo a comprehensive training package that ensures they can continue to appropriately respond to incidents that may require the use of Taser.”

 

Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “I am pleased that our bid for additional funding has been accepted by the Home Office and that this will allow the Chief Constable to equip additional officers with Taser devices. It means that the men and women who protect our communities will now be better able to protect themselves from violent assault, while also having an extra deterrent against those who wish to cause harm to themselves or others.

 

“It’s also clear from the research that we have conducted locally and from other parts of the country that the public understands how and why police use Taser and are supportive of increasing the proportion of officers who carry these devices.

 

“I have seen for myself the rigorous training that every Taser equipped officer undergoes and I am reassured that officers only use these devices proportionately and only when absolutely necessary when other de-escalation tactics fail, to ensure the overall safety of everyone involved.”

 

Issued: HCB, Corporate Communications