£100k for police Taser roll-out
CHESHIRE police have been awarded more than £100,000 by the Home Office to buy Tasers.
The bid, which was submitted by police and crime commissioner (PCC) David Keane, will allow Cheshire Constabulary to buy 130 of the electric stun devices.
The £107,250 funding will allow it to purchase the Tasers over the next 12 months as they train more officers to use them.
Tasers are a ‘non-lethal alternative’ to conventional firearms but illegal for the public to own.
They are generally viewed as safe although the devices have been implicated in some deaths in the UK and abroad when the target has had a bad reaction.
The funding awarded to Cheshire Constabulary is part of £10m ring-fenced government fund.
Funding based on the threats and risks in each area, with Commissioner Keane outlining in his bid to government how the force plans to use Taser in the future to reduce the risk of violent crime.
He said: “I am continuously campaigning for more funding for our under-resourced police service so I am pleased that the Government has, on this occasion, granted our full funding request.
“As well as keeping the public safe, ensuring police officers in Cheshire have the most appropriate equipment to carry out their job safely and effectively is one of my main priorities, and Taser is a well proven tactical option for officers dealing with conflict.
“My bid to the Government follows a recent review of Taser capability in Cheshire which identified that Taser is successful in reducing harm to frontline responders. This funding will allow us to further improve personal safety and protection of officers and the public.”
Chief Constable Darren Martland added: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to purchase an additional 130 Tasers for our specially trained frontline officers.
“Ensuring we reduce the risk of violent crime is a key priority for the constabulary, and this funding will we help ensure we have the correct equipment to protect our staff.
“Increasing our number of Tasertrained officers and equipping them with these devices should give reassurance to the public that we are continuing to do everything we can to help keep Cheshire even safer.”