Met police firearms

[Fedster + 1,307]

'We want to ensure they have the right equipment to keep themselves, suspects and members of the public safe', says national lead.

Chiefs have decided to allow probationers to use taser.

The College of Policing is developing a new application process for young in service officers to be given access to the less lethal weapons, after the NPCC backed a policy change.

Probationers are currently not allowed to carry the devices but chiefs have agreed this can change “based on local assessments of threat and risk”, and are discussing the plan with the Home Office.   

A statement from the National Police Chiefs’ Council says the number of officers who are given taser will remain a local decision and the probationers themselves will be able to choose whether to apply to use the device.

Those given the less lethal weapons will need to meet the same standards of competence in conflict management as those who already use them.

The issue of probationers using taser came back onto the agenda after the London Bridge terror attack during which BTP PC Wayne Marques tried to fight off three knife-wielding terrorists with his baton and was seriously injured.

NPCC lead for the devices Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D'Orsi said: “Probationers are posted to the frontline and they respond to the same calls as other colleagues.

“These calls range from dealing with vulnerable people in need of help to incidents of violence. We want to ensure that they have the right equipment to keep themselves, suspects and members of the public safe. As part of this, we want to give forces the opportunity to train their probationary officers to carry taser.

“At present, an officer’s suitability to carry taser is determined by the amount of time someone has been an officer rather than the role they carry out or the skills they have.

"The diversity of our workforce has changed considerably and many of our probationers have professional and life skills from before they started their police career that demonstrates their capability and ability to carry taser.”

A spokesman for the NPCC said a decision on whether to allow special constables to be trained in use of the weapons will be taken at a later date.

A College of Policing spokesman said the body "is currently developing a rigorous evidence based application process for selected probationers wishing to be issued with taser".

"Those carrying taser are required to pass the same high standard of training regardless of their rank or role and these standards will not change if the new process is adopted.

“We recognise that policing is becoming ever more challenging and complex and chief officers must balance the traditions we have with the need to protect the public and their officers.”

The Police Federation says the rule change may not be effective unless the government provides more money.

Vice chairman Ché Donald said: “We have been repeatedly calling for additional central government funding so that all forces can train and equip their frontline police officers with taser.

“While we welcome news that probationers are to be trained, that alone is pointless if chief officers do not then have the funding needed to buy sufficient numbers of tasers to allow their officers to carry it."

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[HazRat 762]

1 hour ago, Fedster said:

While we welcome news that probationers are to be trained, that alone is pointless if chief officers do not then have the funding needed to buy sufficient numbers of tasers to allow their officers to carry it."

I’m frontline but because I work in the wrong OCU local force policy is that we can’t carry. Whilst this is a good move, we need to train and equip more staff. I know it’s not the silver bullet to all situations, but it’s a tactical option. A tactical option I don’t currently have.

[mike88 + 257]

There needs to be some kind of uniformity in taser policies otherwise you'll end up with probationers in some forces carrying taser and an entire shift in another force without one. We all face the same risks but have less options in some parts of the country than others. It's not right at all.

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

It's a money issue.

It doesn't really matter what the College Of Policing says.

Forces like Hampshire who have given a positive opt in for taser carry may find some benefit in this decision.

Most other forces taser issue is limited by funding...there's no cash to give extra taser for officers with 20 years let alone the newbies.

I'm not against the idea, but it's almost to me a premature decision...It's a question that needed asking when forces get to the stage of issuing one to all officers.