Northants Police are training more officers to equipped with Tasers

Northamptonshire Police is increasing the amount of officers with tasers with fifty officers with the total amount of officers now trained with tasers in Northamptonshire is now 220.

Video from www.northants.police.uk

Last year, 100 additional officers were trained and equipped in frontline response and proactive teams.

Police and Crime commissioner Stephen Mold, who provided £67,000 of funding to pay for the increase in taser capability said "Northamptonshire Police officers must be able to protect the public and keep themselves safe from anyone intent on causing harm. 

“I was keen to make this investment and support the Chief Constable’s view that training more officers to use Taser will give them a real and visible deterrent in situations where they believe that someone’s safety is under threat.”

Photos provided www.northants.police.uk

Chief Constable Nick Adderley, said: “Nationally and locally there has been an increase in knife related crime. It therefore makes complete sense that the officers that are out in the communities are equipped and able to respond to incidents quickly and effectively. Extending Taser capability allows us to do that.

“Taser is only one of many tools and tactics available to an officer to help manage threat and risk. For those equipped with Taser, it won’t always be the first or most viable solution to a situation.

“However, crucially it is a less-lethal weapon designed to temporarily incapacitate a suspect. Indeed, we often find that simply the presence of a Taser can calm and resolve a situation without it necessarily being used to combat a violent situation.

“And every time Taser is deployed, it is reported and scrutinised to make sure that it was the correct course of action.”

“Nationally in 2017/18, 71 police officers on average were assaulted every day as they served the public.

“In Northamptonshire alone, 380 officers were assaulted last year, meaning at least one officer is assaulted every day in our County, in some form or another.”

By Max Miller