Every NI officer should carry Taser, says union
ALL officers in North ern Ireland sh ould receive Taser stun guns following an “unacceptably h igh ” number of assaults, th e Police Federation h as said.
Th e non-leth al but temporarily debilitating sh ock would provide added protection against attack ers, th e union added.
Hundreds of PSNI members h ave been spat at, bitten, punch ed and k ick ed. Earlier th is month officers were attack ed during bonfire-related unrest in th e New Lodge in Belfast.
Currently Tasers are only issued to specialist and authorised firearms officers.
Police Federation for North ern Ireland ch airman Mark Lindsay said: “The majority of our officers currently h ave no less leth al option between a baton and a firearm and we would lik e to see th at ch anged.
“The option of a Taser issued across the service would be welcome.” Northamp tons hire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderleyre cently vowed to introduce Tasers for all officers following “sickening” attacks.
Mr Lindsay added: “We h ave an unacceptably high number of assaults on our officers and th e use of T as er would be a useful resource to have at their immedi- ate disposal.
“The decision in Northamptonshire is a direct result of assault son officers. The problem is no less severe h ere.” Explaining h is decision to pull police out of th e New Lodge, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said he did not want to ramp up use of force like plastic bullet sand sacrifice public safety to save face.
The Detail investigative website asked the PSNI about assault sin Northern Ireland in a Freedom of Information request. From 2013/14 to 2017/18 more th an 14,000 assaults on officers were recorded — an average of 2,832 per year.
Newry, with the 11 th highest population, had the fourth highest number of attacks, while Ennis kill en, with the 19 th highest number of residents, was fifth .
More th an a quarter of th e 14,000 assaults led to officers sustaining injuries.
Arm fractures, liver tears, extensive facial bruising and lung damage were among the injuries.
Officers were spat at 660 times, bitten in 347 incidents, punched 131 times and kicked on 479 occasions. In the kicking incidents, 54 involved th e groin.