Top cop shrugs off fears over stun gun issue (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Top cop shrugs off fears over stun gun issue

WILTSHIRE Constabulary has been showing off the controversial 50,000-volt stun guns issued to officers in January - and which attracted criticism from a human rights group.

The force was condemned by Amnesty International for commissioning the weapon, which has led to several deaths in north America, and for not publicly announcing it was using them.

The Tasers have been deployed on a few occasions in the five months they have been in use, but firearms officers have reported that just taking the electro-shock gun out of the holster has proved enough to convince suspects that resisting arrest is not a good idea.

Assistant Chief Constable Julian Kirby said the Taser's effectiveness had been shown by the fact it had been in use all year without attracting attention.

"It is a fairly routine piece of equipment and did not warrant publicity in itself," he said at last week's official press launch.

"But with recent stories about it in the press - mainly of abuses of it in America - we felt we had to show what a first-class piece of kit it is."

Amnesty expressed horror at the deployment of Tasers in Wiltshire, saying the gun had been linked to 70 deaths in America and Canada.

It was argued that the gun had not been fully researched and there were fears over when the weapons would be used and by whom.

But Mr Kirby said the force had followed Home Office guidelines by only issuing Tasers to trained firearms officers, although they were not difficult to use.

He added: "I can guarantee to all officers that, if they need this option, it can be with them at short notice, 24 hours a day."

The gun fires twin barbs into a suspect's skin or clothing, and the electric current passes through them to immobilise the individual for five seconds.

Once the current is switched off, complete use of all limbs is regained, but the electricity can be readministered at any time until the barbs are removed.

Mr Kirby believes the success of the Taser is down to people understanding the pain the gun can cause.

He said: "Very few people have been shot but many of us know what it is like to get an electric shock, and we'd rather not repeat the experience."