Increase in Met officers with Taser weapons

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has announced her decision to equip an additional 1,800 officers across the Met with Taser to better protect the public and officers from the threat of violent incidents. According to the force, the move will see 1,867 more police officers carry the personal protection equipment on the front line, meaning that a total of over 6,400 officers will be trained with the weapon. Statistics show that 87 per cent of occasions where a Taser was drawn over the last three years have been resolved without the officer having to discharge it, meaning a violent or potentially violent situation is de-escalated and brought to a swift conclusion. However, recent figures show an increase in violent crime, with knife crime offences rising by 24 per cent over the last year, while assaults against officers have also risen from 2,211 in 2014 to 2,486 in 2015, and to 2,676 in 2016. Dick said: “Keeping the public safe from harm is at the heart of our job. With this uplift, my officers will be better equipped to protect the public and themselves. We know that the mere presence of a Taser is often enough to defuse a dangerous situation and often get a suspect to drop their weapon if they’re armed. “Taser reduces the need for physical contact and also the risk of unintended or unnecessary injuries to all parties. With the roll-out of body worn camera to every uniformed officer, the public can also rest assured that the use of Taser is correctly recorded and monitored and that the use of it is subject to comprehensive scrutiny.” Taser has been safely and effectively used by the Met since 2003, and is used when officers would need to use force in order to protect either the public, the subject themselves, or fellow colleagues.