Staffordshire Police to wear cameras after taser probe
Police officers in Staffordshire have been told to wear body cameras when they brandish taser stun guns following a probe into high usage of the weapons by the force.
An independent investigation was launched as a result and it found Staffordshire officers used taser more frequently than other forces proportionately although the number actually fired was one of the lowest in England and Wales.
Stun guns were fired 71 times in total, the report found.
The force has now been told that officers should wear body cameras when deploying taser guns and ensure the weapon is used only as a last resort.
The report from the ethics, transparency and audit panel (ETA), states: "Clearly, while Staffordshire's officers used taser more frequently than other forces proportionately, the actual discharge and firing rate was one of the lowest in England and Wales.
"Staffordshire Police use taser more frequently than most police forces within England and Wales - when compared to use per 100 officers - and is most commonly used as a deterrent or a tool for de-escalation.
"There needs to be proactive reviews to ensure that taser sweep does not occur or diminish the use of other personal protective equipment, negotiation or less-lethal tools.
"It is understood that body worn video was deployed widely throughout the force during 2013 and was not available at the time of many incidents, however, going forward it should be made mandatory to record all incidents involving Taser and bookmark the relevant incident for evidence."
Taser guns were used mostly on males in their thirties, it adds.
Staffordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis said the investigation had provided fresh perspective and more detail into stun gun usage by the force.
He said: "I asked the ETA to get beneath the statistics in order to understand the context behind them. Above all it's part of my job to ensure the police act appropriately in the way taser is being used in Staffordshire.
"I'm satisfied that police in Staffordshire keep the discharge of taser to a minimum and in very specific circumstances. As with the bodycams, the use of taser as a deterrent actually reduces potential violence often stopping trouble before it starts.
"The upshot is that taser discharge rate in Staffordshire is significantly lower than most other places."
