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Safety Compromised in Taser Roll-Out?
Figures on the roll-out of TASER (released by the Home Office yesterday) show that Kent Police is near the bottom when it comes to protecting frontline officers! Out of 44 police forces (43 in England & Wales plus British Transport Police) only 7 forces have bid for and received less TASERS than Kent.
Ian Pointon (Chairman of Kent Police Federation) says,
"TASER is a vital piece of safety equipment. It protects officers, the public and enables violent offenders to be subdued with no ill-effects. Kent Police's decision to leave TASER in the hands of a few officers, often miles away from where it is needed, is plain crazy."
He continues,
"Patrol offices are constantly contacting my office with examples of where they could have used TASER to good effect, almost universally at domestic violence incidents where offenders have ready access to kitchen knives. However, the officers with TASER have been far away and unable to respond sufficiently quickly due to the spontaneity of the incidents. I have scores of examples where TASER would have been effective. Examples where, it has taken six officers to subdue a violent offender; where officers have been injured - the worst being a dislocated shoulder; examples where pepper spray and batons have been used resulting in injuries to the offender and other members of the public. All this could have been avoided with the use of TASER. Patrol officers are angry and dismayed - they feel their very real needs have been overlooked."
He concludes,
"Over 3 weeks ago we formally asked the Force to reconsider its decision over the roll-out of TASER. Sadly we are still awaiting a response. When it comes to tick-box performance Kent Police aspires to be in the top 10 of the 43 forces in England and Wales. It is a great pity that when it comes to the safety of patrol officers and the public it appears to be content to languish in the bottom 10."
MEDIA RELEASE ENDS
NOTES TO EDITOR
- Kent Police Federation represents Constables, Sergeants, Inspectors and Chief Inspectors.
- Kent Police has chosen to bid for (and will now receive) 66 TASERS; 56 will be issued with 10 being retained for training. . They have chosen to issue TASER to a number of tactical teams with round the clock (24 hours a day) availability being provided by traffic officers.
- This is the Home Office's table showing the number of TASERS to be issued per force.
| Police Force | Quantity of Tasers |
| Avon and Somerset Constabulary | 130 |
| Bedfordshire Constabulary | 90 |
| British Transport Police | 400 |
| Cambridgeshire Constabulary | 150 |
| Cheshire Constabulary | 82 |
| City of London Police | 30 |
| Cleveland Constabulary | 70 |
| Cumbria Constabulary | 50 |
| Derbyshire Constabulary | 250 |
| Devon and Cornwall Constabulary | 325 |
| Dorset Constabulary | 50 |
| Durham Constabulary | 120 |
| Dyfed Powys Police | 80 |
| Essex Police | 50 |
| Gloucestershire Constabulary | 50 |
| Greater Manchester Police | 300 |
| Gwent Constabulary | 100 |
| Hampshire Constabulary | 50 |
| Hertfordshire Constabulary | 110 |
| Humberside Police | 100 |
| Kent Constabulary | 66 |
| Lancashire Constabulary | 150 |
| Leicestershire Constabulary | 110 |
| Lincolnshire Police | 300 |
| Lincolnshire Police (National Training) | 20 |
| Merseyside Police | 365 |
| Metropolitan Police | 150 |
| Norfolk Constabulary | 75 |
| Northamptonshire Police | 36 |
| Northumbria Police | 88 |
| North Wales Police | 130 |
| North Yorkshire Police | 100 |
| Nottinghamshire Constabulary | 200 |
| South Wales Constabulary | 120 |
| South Yorkshire Police | 70 |
| Staffordshire Police | 98 |
| Suffolk Constabulary | 100 |
| Surrey Police | 100 |
| Sussex Police | 50 |
| Thames Valley Police | 100 |
| Warwickshire Constabulary | 78 |
| West Mercia Constabulary | 70 |
| West Midlands Police | 600 |
| West Yorkshire Police | 327 |
| Wiltshire Constabulary | 85 |
| Total | 6175 |
Kent Police - 3874 officers - 66 TASERS (minus 10 to be used for training)
Lincolnshire Police - 1140 officers - 300 TASERS
West Midlands Police - 8474 officers - 600 TASERS
Merseyside Police - 4400 officers (approx) - 365 TASERS
Surrey Police - 1900 officers (approx) - 100 TASERS
Hertfordshire Constabulary - 2120 officers - 110 TASERS
Ian Pointon
Chairman
Kent Police Federation
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