COV COPS TO GET 24 HOUR ACCESS TO TASERS

A NUMBER of police officers in Coventry will now have 24-hour access to Taser guns.

Officers in the West Midlands Police Force’s Operations Support Unit (OSU) were issued with the equipment at the start of October.

Until now only firearm officers have been able to use Tasers, but since Monday November 2, some PCs have been introduced to them.

Firearms officers have used the equipment 93 times in the West Midlands since 2004, with increased safety and compliance from offenders reported by officers.

Now the taser is to be issued to specially trained PCs in the city for use in strictly-controlled situations.

The taser uses an electrical current to temporarily disrupt the control of a suspect’s muscles, allowing police to make an arrest.

But the force reports that in nearly half of the cases the presence of the taser was enough to deter a violent offender from becoming more aggressive.

It is now widely regarded as a ‘reduced risk’ alternative to the metal batons and CS sprays used by officers.

Officers with the OSU have drawn the equipment twice since being issued with it at the start of last month, but have not fired it.

Chief Supt Steve Glover, Coventry police commander, said: “I anticipate the use of the taser being minimal but it will be a valuable addition to our options.

“Just the production of a taser has been enough on both occasions the OSU have deployed it to stop a situation developing.

“My officers have undergone extensive training in how and when to use the taser and their supervisors have also been trained in which situations it should be issued under.”