Transport police used Taser days after issue of weapons
Incident at Waverley Station saw powerful stun gun trained on man
POLICE officers in charge of protecting Scotland’s railways used a Taser just days after being armed with the stun devices.
British Transport Police (BTP) officers in Scotland were given Tasers in October in response to the heightened terrorism threat, five years after their counterparts south of the Border.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed there was an incident at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station the same month, when BTP officers trained a red dot target on a 34-year-old man. The Taser was not fired.
A Taser device can incapacitate its target through the use of an electrical current. The circumstances surrounding the Waverley incident are unclear.
Chief Superintendent John McBride, the BTP’s divisional commander for Scotland, said he was delighted that the weapons had been used only once.
He added: “The decision to equip our officers with Tasers was taken to ensure they are in the best position to be able to protect themselves and to protect the public when faced with extreme violence and followed careful analysis of the environment we police and the type of threat most likely to emerge.
“It provides a consistent approach to protecting rail users across Scotland, England and Wales.”
In response to FOI questions from the BBC, it was confirmed that of the 151-strong BTP force north of the Border, 43 officers now carry Tasers.
The force announced in September that specially trained officers in Scotland would soon have the capability to carry Taser devices.
The decision followed detailed discussions with Police Scotland complementing the existing, extensive joint-working between the two forces. Scottish ministers were also briefed on this operational matter. At the time, Orkney MSP Liam McArthur, the Liberal Democrats’ justice spokesman, complained the decision had been rushed without proper scrutiny in Scotland and the public had no idea where they would be deployed.
In England and Wales, BTP officers used Tasers 68 times in 2014. Last year, it was108 occasions, but they were only fired eight times in 2015.
Following the confirmation one had been deployed in Scotland, Mr McArthur said: “It’s essential we ensure the use of Tasers is proportionate, only used as a last resort and kept under constant review.”
The Scottish Government wants BTP to be integrated with Police Scotland, but opposition politicians are against the plan.
BTP says it follows the national Authorised Professional Practice guidance on which weapons may be used by the UK police service.
The Taser X26 and M26 are the only devices currently authorised. In line with UK national guidance, each time a Taser device is deployed, the circumstances have to be recorded and reviewed, to verify that it was properly used.
BTP and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) have agreed that BTP will refer certain serious incidents to them, including the discharge of Tasers. The Pirc will then determine if an independent investigation into the incident is required.