Taser training to open up to officers with CVD

2 November 2020

A change of policy which will allow police with Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD) to apply for Taser training will help protect officers and the public, says Humberside Federation chair Pete Musgrave.

The College of Policing is establishing a new training and assessment process which means officers with CVD - who were previously excluded from Taser training - will now be assessed using a Taser fixed sight.

It follows successful lobbying by the Police Federation. It had challenged the college over its original CVD Taser training standards on the grounds they were unfair and discriminatory. Fed reps argued it was putting officers at risk of being assaulted on duty.

Pete said: “Taser is an important piece of equipment for officers and is an effective way of dealing with potentially dangerous situations.

“Often the act of drawing a Taser can defuse a situation. Therefore, it’s unfair and discriminatory that officers with CVD, who face the same dangers as their colleagues, should be disadvantaged by not having access to the same levels of training and equipment.

“It’s only right that officers who want to use Taser are given the training, equipment and support they need to do their job,” he added.

In August, the Home Office also approved the new Taser 7, which uses a green laser and is suitable for officers with certain types of CVD - which affects one in 12 men and one in 200 women.

Steve Hartshorn, firearms and Taser lead for the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), said: “The Federation has been involved in actively challenging the College of Policing’s previous position. This was not fair, valid or reliable, and we have been seeking a positive resolution.

“The new training and assessment process will allow officers with CVD to apply for Taser training and to be deployed operationally if successful.

“The college’s revised process will be reviewed over time to ensure it remains current and fit for purpose. PFEW - via its network of local Federation reps - will be involved in that process.”