West Midlands police using deadly Tasers in record numbers

Aug 29 2010 by Adam Aspinall, Sunday Mercury

THE use of Tasers by police forces across the Midlands has hit record numbers with two potentially deadly incidents now taking place EVERY DAY.

Cops have used the controversial stun guns twice as many times in the last 12 months as in the previous five years combined.

The weapons fire needle-tipped darts to deliver a crippling 50,000-volt shock and most recently received national attention after being fired at murder fugitive Raoul Moat.

Now the Sunday Mercury has learned that since the weapons were rolled out to rank and file officers last autumn, their usage has rocketed by as much as 500 per cent.

And in total, Midland cops have aimed, cocked or fired them over 800 times between July 2009 and July 2010 compared with just 400 between April 2004 and September 2009.

The stun guns were used in incidents ranging from domestic disputes, riots and violent confrontations and once against an out-of-control dog.

Last night, civil liberties group Amnesty International described the new figures as alarming. Spokesman Oliver Sprague said: Tasers should only be used in circumstances where there is a heightened risk of death or very serious injury.

Whilst we cant speculate on the threat posed in each and every incident, questions must be asked as to why there has been such a startling increase of Taser use in the past 12 months.

West Midlands Police was handed 600 extra Tasers last year as part of an £8 million Government scheme and now has more of the weapons than any other UK constabulary.

Between 2006 to 2008 the force had just 55 stun guns and they were only allowed to be used by specialist firearms officers.

But since last October trained cops from the Operations Support Unit were also deployed with Tasers.

And in June uniformed constables in every Birmingham police station were also trained in using the guns, alongside batons and CS spray.

The roll-out has seen a huge increase from just 76 uses in the whole of 2009 to 412 stun gun incidents since January this year a rise of more than 500 per cent.

West Midlands Police has previously insisted the weapons would only be used in strictly controlled situations.