Press Release

Reference:  67/06  Date:  March 31, 2006

ACPO RESPONSE TO AMNESTY REPORT IN RELATION TO TASER

Derek Talbot, ACPO spokesperson on Taser and Assistant Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police, said: "Taser has now been used a total of 326* times by British Police. In each case, the use of the Taser has brought a serious incident to a safe conclusion with no lasting injury to the subject, the police officers involved or members of the public. Any person hit by Taser is offered a referral to an independent medical practitioner.

"Taser was rigorously scrutinised and evaluated during its trial period and also continues to be so now it is in operational use. The technology was rigorously tested by the Police Scientific Development Branch and a medical assessment was also carried out by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

"Before the Taser trial started, DOMILL, an independent sub-committee of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council, produced a report which concluded that although Taser's effect on vulnerable persons, such as people with cardiac problems, should be examined further, it was not essential from a medical perspective that any studies were completed before the operational trial.

"On the basis of operational information available from America and elsewhere, DOMILL has since concluded that there is no unequivocal evidence that the electrical output of a Taser has directly caused a death.

"The British police service sought to introduce Taser because it is an option that advances human rights ¡V its use may be more proportionate than the use of a firearm in certain circumstances and gives officers the opportunity to incapacitate and overpower, rather than lethally injure someone.

"The Police Service nationally is constantly seeking less lethal options to resolve dangerous situations safely and without injury to any person, and the Taser provides officers with another tool the use of which may be more appropriate than a conventional firearm in certain circumstances.

"We believe that Taser ultimately reduces the risk to officers, offenders and members of the public.

"Taser is only used by specially trained Police firearms officers in circumstances in which the use of conventional weapons would otherwise be authorised."

ENDS

* Since Taser was introduced in Britain, it has been used a total of 326 times including:

Taser drawn and red dot aimed ¡V 185
Taser fired - 112
Taser arced ¡V 16
Taser dry stun - 13

ends

NOTES FOR EDITORS;

- The ACPO Press Office can be contacted via 020 7227 3406/3425 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours).

- The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates the strategic policing response.

- ACPO's 341 members are police officers of Assistant Chief Constable rank (Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, and senior police staff managers, in the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus national agencies such as NCIS and the National Crime Squad, and other forces such as British Transport Police and States of Jersey Police.