PCCs to bid for extra Taser funding

13 January 2020

More Hertfordshire officers could soon be trained and equipped with Taser as the Government acts on its pledge to invest £10 million in the roll-out of the devices.

From today Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across England and Wales can bid for a share of the ring-fenced funding which it is hoped will give 10,000 more officers Taser. A decision on the individual force allocations could be made as early as next month.

“This is good news,” says Geoff Bardell, chair of Hertfordshire Police Federation, “We are in discussions with the Chief Constable about an increase in Taser trained officers and we will also be writing to our PCC now that the Home Office has opened the bidding process.

“The Police Federation has been calling for increased central funding for Taser for some time now and welcomed the Government’s announcement last year that it would invest £10 million in a roll-out of these devices.

“Taser has become an essential piece of kit in modern day policing, allowing officers to protect themselves and their communities at a time when we are seeing increased violence on our streets and an increase in attacks on police officers.

“We are aware that our members want to have Taser at their disposal. The latest Police Federation survey on routine arming, carried out just over two years ago, showed that while 38 per cent of Hertfordshire respondents wanted officers to be armed at all times more than twice as many (80 per cent) wanted to carry Taser. At the time only 35 per cent, for whom it was applicable to their role, had Taser – though this was higher than the national rate of 22 per cent.

“I am pleased the Government has acted on what the Federation and officers have been saying and taken steps to ensure that more officers are trained and then equipped with Taser.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel, in opening the bidding process, said: “Our brave police officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect us and I am committed to giving them the tools they need to keep themselves and the public safe.

“The rise in assaults on officers is appalling which is why I am providing funding to equip up to 10,000 more officers with Taser - an important tactical option when facing potentially physically violent situations.”

The application process will involve PCCs outlining how many extra officers they plan to train to use Taser and then bidding via an online platform with their requests being based on the threat and risk in their local area.

The Home Office has said the final funding allocations for forces, which cover 2019/20 and 2020/21, will be announced as soon as February.

The Police Federation’s national chair, John Apter, has welcomed the Home Office action but has urged the Government to provide more funding if the £10m does not cover what forces need.