The government has revealed that selected student police officers will have the option to apply for taser training.
Student police officers working on the front line will be able to apply for training in taser use after requests from senior officers. The Home Office announced the change which they say may be needed to ensure the safety of officers and the public.
Student officers who apply to carry a taser will have to have the approval of supervising officers and endorsement at a Superintendent level as well as passing the training course. They also must be assessed and lawful for independent patrol, have demonstrated experience in successfully handling conflict, and have held a review with a supervisor following the use of a taser.
Previously only officers who had passed two-year probation were eligible to carry tasers. Police Chiefs argued that because student officers can be deployed to the front line they often face the same threats as more senior officers.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Less Lethal Weapons and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D’Orsi said: “Probationers are posted to the frontline and they respond to the same calls as other colleagues. These calls range from dealing with vulnerable people in need of help to incidents of serious violence.”
“At present, an officer’s suitability to carry Taser is determined by the amount of time someone has been an officer. The diversity of our workforce has changed considerably and many of our probationers have professional and life skills from before they started their police career that help to demonstrate their capability to carry Taser.”
The number of tasers and trained officers is determined by chief officers based on an assessment of the needs of their local area. Taser use is subject to many restrictions and regulations and probationary officers will have to demonstrate capability and aptitude before being permitted to use one.
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Home Office non-lethal Police taser Training UK Government UK Police Force
Post written by: Ciara Houghton
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