Essex Police’s Taser use is “proportionate”

ESSEX Police’s use of Taser is “proportionate” and officers use the weapon responsibly, the force has said.

Officers draw their Tasers nearly three times a week but fire them on fewer than one in five occasions.

About 70 officers in Essex are trained to use the less-lethal weapon. They drew their weapons 152 times between 1 January and 31 December last year, according to the latest figures.

However, Essex Police only fired the devices on 18% of occasions. The sight of the red laser dot on suspects’ bodies was enough to make them comply 58% of the time, while simply drawing or aiming accounted for another 24% of incidents.

The devices were fired 28 times in the period.

An Essex Police spokesman said the force trained officers and monitored Taser use to a high level, as recognised by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary.

He said: “The small increase in police use of Tasers over the last year when compared to a national increase in violent crime demonstrates that, in a safe county, Essex Police continues to use force proportionately and responsibly.

“Taser is just one piece of equipment that specially-trained officers can use to deal with potentially violent situations, while at the same time minimising harm to members of the public, police officers and offenders.

“Taser allows the restraint of violent individuals safely and efficiently and is often less harmful to offenders than striking them with a baton or using CS spray.”

However, the force’s use of Tasers is higher than other services in the East of England, according to the Home Office figures.

Police in Norfolk and Suffolk both drew their Tasers 146 and 137 times respectively during the same period, according to the Echo newspaper.

Nationally, 10,329 incidents were recorded, with the Metropolitan Police using their Tasers the most – 1,954 times.