The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Surge in assaults sees police take up Tasers
CRIME: Force in Fife has ordered the devices after a big rise in number of attacks on officers
Fife police have been armed with more Tasers after assaults on officers soared by 75%.
A total of 336 assaults on officers were recorded from April to September this year compared to 192 last year.
Fife divisional commander Chief Superintendent Derek McEwan revealed he had ordered extra Tasers so officers in the region could protect themselves.
He said: “An assault on a police officer is a very significant offence. Some of the figures are quite concerning.
“It has risen and it has risen at quite an alarming rate. We support our staff as much as we can. We have introduced Tasers into Fife and Fife division.
“I used some of my own funds to purchase more Tasers than other areas of the country.”
A Taser is a device which can temporarily incapacitate a person. By discharging an electrical current, the device interferes with the muscles in the body.
The devices emit a red light that allows officers to accurately take aim.
Mr McEwan said it was not always necessary to discharge the device and often “red dotting” the troublemaker was enough.
“There are a lot of angry people that suddenly stop being angry when a red dot goes on them, even before it’s discharged, so it does have a positive impact.”
The divisional commander was speaking to Fife Council’s environment and protective services committee during an update on police performance.
Mr McEwan said the statistics did not mean there had been 336 separate incidents in the five-month period.
“As you can imagine, the angry man or angry woman outside the nightclub may need multiple police officers to restrain them so there could be four or five assaults on individual officers.
“There will not have been 336 separate instances.”
He said it should be noted that officers did not always report assaults against them.
“Some of them have felt that it comes with the job and they should never feel like that.”
Liberal Democrat councillor Tim Brett, who sits on the committee, said local officers had councillors’ “full support”.
He said: “We were surprised and concerned at this information and wanted to say to Chief Superintendent McEwan that the committee will give him our full support in addressing these issues.
“I understand why he has taken that action.
“If it prevents an officer from being seriously injured, then I would support that, but it may be that the committee would want to monitor use of Tasers in the future.”
“An assault on a police officer is a very significant offence. Some of the figures are quite concerning. It has risen and it has risen at quite an alarming rate.
CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT DEREK MCEWAN