Fears grow over Taser gun expansion

Miles Goslett
London telegraph
Saturday Sept 1, 2007

Taser electric stun guns are being made available to hundreds more police in England and Wales from today.

Officers with little or no firearms training will be able to use the 50,000 volt devices to defend themselves or the public in situations of extreme violence – even if aggressors are not armed.

The move is part of a year-long trial across 10 forces.

It has been opposed by human rights groups, notably Amnesty International, on the grounds that the guns can be lethal.

Until now, Tasers have only been available to highly-trained firearms officers.

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They fire two darts which release a powerful electric charge that paralyses targets temporarily.

Former Scotland Yard commander John O’Connor expressed concern at the news.

"I think the notion of giving these guns, these Taser guns, out indiscriminately to untrained officers - because it's a non-lethal option - they're going to run the risk of these things being used far too indiscriminately," he said.

Last October 47-year-old Brian Loan died several days after being shot by a Taser in County Durham.

A coroner recorded a death by natural causes, citing heart disease.

However, his sister, Barbara Hodgson, refuses to accept that explanation.

"The evidence might not exist at the minute, but I am sure we will be proved right as more cases come to light,” she said.

The Police Federation has welcomed the initiative, saying that frontline officers increasingly need the guns.

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