POLICE used their Taser guns on two suspects during the first week of a city-wide roll out.
Officers say two potentially violent incidents were calmly resolved in the Wood End and Willenhall areas of the city after the Tasers were deployed.
On Thursday November 12 cops were called to a third-floor flat in Willenhall following reports of a man smashing windows.
The man, who is understood to have mental health problems, at first refused to leave his flat.
When he did come out onto the landing, the man threatened to harm officers and himself, prompting officers to use the device.
Two days earlier one of the devices were used by officers in Wood End.
Officers were called to a house in Winston Avenue after a man was seen brandishing two large knives.
Police arrived at the scene just after 11.30pm and attempted to get the man to leave the house.
Officers deemed the man was a danger to himself, the public and to police and a Taser was used.
Once the situation was resolved the man was arrested and later charged in connection with the incident.
Previously the 50,000 volt device, which temporarily incapacitate targets and cause them to “freeze” or fall to the ground, had only been used by firearms officers.
But from November, 80 Pcs have been trained to use the weapons, which means officers in Coventry now have 24-hour access to them for use in certain situations.
The Taser uses an electrical current to temporarily disrupt the control of a suspect’s muscles.
But a spokesman for the force says in nearly half of the cases, the mere presence of the Taser was enough to deter a violent offender from becoming more aggressive.
Chief Superintendent Steve Glover, of Little Park Street police station, said: “These are two incidents that have been resolved with no-one getting hurt.
“Before Tasers officers used batons and incapacity spray.
“Officers think they are wonderful - they allow them to keep a safe distance between them and the suspects.
“And no-one has been hurt, which is what we want.”
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