Chair condemns proposal to strip officers of Taser

25 August 2026

Plans by the Green Party to stop police using Taser and pepper spray are ludicrous and show a complete disregard for the safety of police officers and the public, according to Jess Davies, the chair of West Midlands Police Federation.

Jess has spoken out following reports the party’s crime and justice working group has drawn up a motion calling on the party to pledge to ‘withdraw lethal tools and tactics, eg Tasers and pepper spray.

The motion calls for the Green Party to take investment away from policing, prisons and surveillance and also scrap Prevent, the Government’s counterterrorism programme.

“Frankly, I just can’t understand how anyone could even put forward these proposals,” says Jess, “Every day 86 police officers are assaulted while carrying out their duties.

“The level of violence they face on the streets is just getting worse and worse and they need tools, such as Taser, at their disposal so they can protect themselves but also so they can protect the public.

“Officers are trained to use Taser and PAVA effectively and often just drawing these items can help de-escalate a situation. It is no exaggeration to say that they can be life-saving at times.

“Rather than coming up with these sorts of ideas with apparently no understanding of the everyday risks and dangers of modern-day policing, I would urge politicians to look more closely at ways of protecting police officers and in turn help them protect the public.”