Taser roll-out welcomed

18 October 2018

The Force’s announcement of a further roll-out of Taser has been welcomed by Leicestershire Police Federation secretary Matt Robinson.

An extra 50 officers are going to be trained to carry the device, taking the total to 340.

“This is something we have asked for based on what our members have been telling us,” says Matt, “The figures from our recent routine arming survey were overwhelming with 73 per cent of our members wanting the opportunity to carry the equipment.

"Taser is an effective tactical option which we are seeing used more and more.

“Our officers are regularly single crewed and Taser can improve and enhance a response to incidents involving violence. It helps prevent officer assaults and helps us keeps the public safe. It can resolve incidents quickly and is often used as an effective deterrent.

"The current rise in violent crime means we need to react and Taser will contribute to this.”

But Matt stressed that the investment in training and supplying Taser should not be seen as a replacement for police officers.

“Demand across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is increasing and officer numbers are reducing. This is a fact that cannot and should not be ignored,” he explains.

“While the Taser uplift will be a positive move, we will continue to highlight the issues around rising violent crime and how we can best deal with it.”