POLICE must change the way they deploy tasers in order to address serious concerns about their use on children, people with mental illness and black people, a policing watchdog warned today.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) told forces that they risk “losing the trust and confidence of the communities they serve” if they do not act on the issue.
Pointing to the increased use of tasers on children and mentally ill people, the watchdog for England and Wales said there were several examples of missed opportunities for police to de-escalate situations before drawing the weapon.
Black people were more likely to be subjected to prolonged taser discharge than white people, according to a review of 101 investigations carried out by the IOPC between 2015 and 2020. Morning Star.
Blogger: our police are UNarmed. They continuously face violent behaviour but even greater restrictions on their use of tasers can only result in more police wounded or even killed in the line of duty.
Note the emotive use here of the word 'children' - perhaps they could have said 'endearing toddlers' instead!
These 'children' are almost exclusively weaponised, knife-bearing - often drugged up - teenagers!
IOPC - check their political credentials before coming to a judgement!
