The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tasers to be carried by police officers on Scotland’s railways
BTP to be equipped with devices despite no increased terror threat on network
Tasers will be carried by police officers on Scotland’s railways despite there being no specific intelligence of an increased threat on the network.
The decision to equip speciallytrained British Transport Police officers with the “less than lethal” device has been branded “disappointing” by one MSP.
It has led to calls for senior officers to deliver “robust assurances” to MSPs that Taser use will be proportionate to the level of threat.
Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Alun Thomas said the decision to introduce Taser was “not based on specific intelligence of any criminal behaviour or imminent threat”.
But he said it will give the force the option of deploying Taser devices where an officer “needs to protect the public or themselves by using force”.
“Recent terrorist attacks across the world are a stark reminder that the threat from terrorism is a genuine risk and it is important that we keep our security measures and operational tactics under constant review,” Mr Thomas added.
The force cited an incident at Leytonstone station in east London in December where police used a Taser on a man who slashed a stranger, stopping him from harming further passengers.
But there have been heightened concerns about the use of Tasers in the wake of the death of former Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson, who was shot by the device last month.
Tasers are being introduced to the rail network in the coming weeks, but have been carried by armed Police Scotland officers since the single force was created in 2013.
Earlier this summer, Police Scotland announced plans to increase the number of its armed response officers by a third.
John Finnie, for the Scottish Greens, said: “Whilst disappointing to see Tasers being issued to officers, I accept that the decision has an evidence base.”
The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ Liam McArthur said: “The BTP may be justified in taking this decision, but the public will need to have confidence in the way in which it is implemented.”
Former Tayside chief constable Angela Wilson backed the use of Tasers, saying: “It is important that police have a wide range of resources available to them to enable them to respond appropriately to threats of violence, be this from terrorists of other violent criminals.”