The organization representing rank and file police officers in London has reiterated its demand for every officer desiring a Taser to be provided with one following the recent sword attack in Hainault.
Currently, approximately 7,500 out of the Metropolitan Police’s 34,000 officers are trained to carry these non-lethal devices.
However, the incident in Hainault, where two officers were injured by a sword-wielding assailant, has prompted calls for an increase in the number of Tasers available.
It is reported that the initial officers who responded to Tuesday’s attack in Hainault were not equipped with Tasers. Tasers incapacitate assailants by delivering an electrical current through two barbs, temporarily disrupting voluntary muscle control. Frontline officers consider these devices crucial for personal protection, aiding in the subduing or repelling of violent attackers until armed backup arrives.
In 2022, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan stated that the Met anticipated a requirement of approximately 10,000 officers to carry Tasers. However, the force still appears to be about 2,500 officers short of this target.
The deployment of Tasers is determined by a strategic threat and risk assessment conducted every two years, with resources allocated accordingly. Some officers express a desire to carry Tasers but face obstacles in obtaining authorization due to resource constraints in their units.
The Metropolitan Police Federation spokesperson emphasized that their stance is that every officer in London who wishes to carry a Taser should have access to one. A 2019 survey among serving officers in England and Wales revealed that nearly nine out of ten police officers want to be routinely equipped with Tasers, citing safety concerns following a series of violent attacks on officers.
Following these incidents, including the death of PC Andrew Harper, the then-Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel announced in 2022 that special constables would be permitted to carry Tasers.
