HankT
State Researcher
imported post
More LTL tools. Generally, that's a good thing.
I wonderif a UK citizen can buy a Taser?
Fears over Taser gun expansion
Reuters
Published: September 01, 2007
London: Non-firearms police officers in England and Wales have been given access to Taser electric stun guns from yesterday under plans to give frontline officers more powers when confronted with violent suspects.
Previously the 50,000-volt devices could only be used by firearms officers.
The year-long trial in 10 forces will allow officers to fire the guns if faced with violence or threats.
Up to now, they could only be used by officers when confronted by an armed person.
The guns, which are to be used by non-firearms officers working in specially trained units, temporarily disable a suspect by firing two barbed darts trailing electric wires.
The plans were proposed by the then Home Secretary John Reid in May.
Human rights groups are against the use of the guns because they have been linked to dozens of deaths in America and Canada.
Concern
A spokesman for Amnesty International told BBC radio there is a place for the Taser in a police officer's weaponry, but he added: "We are concerned that any wider deployment of these beyond specially-trained firearms officers who go through intensive and robust ongoing training in real life scenarios about when and how to deploy these weapons is maybe a step too far."
He added: "A Taser is less lethal than a gun, but not non-lethal. I mean, they are potentially lethal."
A Taser gun training officer told BBC radio: "Put simply, if you can reduce the risk of injuries to police officers, reduce the injuries to the public, and reduce the injuries to the subjects we deal with, then that has got to be a good thing."
He said officers undergo three days of training, followed by coaching.
The Home Office said no deaths have been linked to their use in Britain.
Taser guns have been used in about 700 incidents since their introduction in the UK four years ago.
http://www.gulf-news.com/world/United_Kingdom/10150862.html
More LTL tools. Generally, that's a good thing.
I wonderif a UK citizen can buy a Taser?
Fears over Taser gun expansion
Reuters
Published: September 01, 2007
London: Non-firearms police officers in England and Wales have been given access to Taser electric stun guns from yesterday under plans to give frontline officers more powers when confronted with violent suspects.
Previously the 50,000-volt devices could only be used by firearms officers.
The year-long trial in 10 forces will allow officers to fire the guns if faced with violence or threats.
Up to now, they could only be used by officers when confronted by an armed person.
The guns, which are to be used by non-firearms officers working in specially trained units, temporarily disable a suspect by firing two barbed darts trailing electric wires.
The plans were proposed by the then Home Secretary John Reid in May.
Human rights groups are against the use of the guns because they have been linked to dozens of deaths in America and Canada.
Concern
A spokesman for Amnesty International told BBC radio there is a place for the Taser in a police officer's weaponry, but he added: "We are concerned that any wider deployment of these beyond specially-trained firearms officers who go through intensive and robust ongoing training in real life scenarios about when and how to deploy these weapons is maybe a step too far."
He added: "A Taser is less lethal than a gun, but not non-lethal. I mean, they are potentially lethal."
A Taser gun training officer told BBC radio: "Put simply, if you can reduce the risk of injuries to police officers, reduce the injuries to the public, and reduce the injuries to the subjects we deal with, then that has got to be a good thing."
He said officers undergo three days of training, followed by coaching.
The Home Office said no deaths have been linked to their use in Britain.
Taser guns have been used in about 700 incidents since their introduction in the UK four years ago.
http://www.gulf-news.com/world/United_Kingdom/10150862.html